Warning: Your Heart May Be Aging Faster Than You Are
- From: OLTICK@xxxxxxxxx (GT Tick)
- Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 02:25:27 -0600
Since many PwMS are not getting the exercise they need I find this to be
very pertinent.
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27 Nov 2007
Despite the increasing evidence that managing high cholesterol reduces
cardiovascular events, many people do not achieve recommended lipid
levels. This is due, in part, to patients' lack of understanding about
their risk factors and the potential benefits of lifestyle modifications
and therapy.
A new study undertaken by the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC),
the Cardiovascular Health Evaluation to Improve Compliance and Knowledge
Among Uninformed Patients (CHECK-UP), now provides definitive evidence
that communicating the future risk of cardiovascular events to high-risk
patients improves the treatment of cardiovascular risk factors, such as
high cholesterol. CHECK-UP is the first successful study of its kind
worldwide and is published in this week's Archives of Internal Medicine.
"The economic burden of cardiovascular disease is substantial to the
Canadian healthcare system, but even more important are the devastating
human costs associated with the disease," says Dr. Steven Grover, lead
author and Director of the McGill Cardiovascular Health Improvement
Program (CHIP).
"The CHECK-UP study shows that when Canadians become more actively
involved in the decisions surrounding their care, they are better
equipped to manage their risk for future cardiovascular events."
Patients who entered the CHECK-UP study had high cholesterol requiring
treatment as per the Canadian Working Group Lipid Guidelines. Included
were those who had diabetes, established cardiovascular disease or
multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The results of the
study show that lipid therapy is enhanced when patients are informed
about their cardiovascular risk and when they receive ongoing feedback
from their doctor about the impact lifestyle modifications and statin
therapy has on their cardiovascular risk. These patients saw a bigger
drop in their lipid levels; in fact, the higher a patient's
cardiovascular risk, the greater their risk profile was impacted.
The computerized risk profiles used in the CHECK-UP study were based on
data from the Framingham Heart Study, and the Cardiovascular Life
Expectancy model previously published by the McGill research team. Each
patient's future risk of cardiovascular disease was based on their age,
gender, blood pressure, blood lipids, and whether or not they smoked,
had diabetes or a previous cardiac event such as a heart attack.
For example, a 43-year-old male smoker who is substantially overweight,
with above-average cholesterol and blood pressure levels, in actual fact
has a cardiovascular age equivalent to that of a 51-year-old. If all
these risk factors were managed according to current Canadian
guidelines, he could reduce his cardiovascular age to that of a
42-year-old.
"We are very excited about the results of the CHECK-UP study," says Dr.
Grover. "CHECK-UP is the first study of its kind in Canada to focus on
the importance of communicating calculated cardiovascular risk to
patients who are at high-risk for a cardiovascular event, such as a
heart attack or stroke. Discussing a patient's coronary risk and taking
the necessary steps to manage it is an important step in improving
preventive care."
Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is the
leading cause of death in Canada. Research shows that approximately 80
per cent of Canadians have at least one modifiable risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity
and a sedentary lifestyle.
ABOUT THE CHECK-UP STUDY
The CHECK-UP study enrolled 230 primary care physicians and 2,687
patients who were at increased risk of a heart attack due to high blood
lipid levels. Among these subjects, 1,510 received a full report of
their coronary risk at each doctor's appointment over the course of a
year.
This report contained their cardiovascular age* and their risk of
developing a cardiovascular event within eight years. These calculations
are based on key elements related directly to lifestyle, such as tobacco
use, cholesterol level and blood pressure, and allow doctors to
demonstrate and quantify the precise impact of lifestyle and medical
treatment on a patient's health. In the study, patients were randomized
to receive usual care or ongoing feedback at routine appointments
regarding their calculated cardiovascular risk and the change in this
risk following lifestyle and/or statin therapy to treat high
cholesterol. At follow-up appointments, any subsequent improvements in a
patient's risk factors due to medication or lifestyle changes were used
to recalculate the patient's cardiovascular age. This gave both the
patient and his or her physician clear feedback on how the treatment had
impacted the patient's state of health.
The CHECK-UP study was supported by an unrestricted educational grant
from Pfizer Canada and designed in partnership with McGill University
Health Centre (MUHC).
MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTRE (MUHC)
The MUHC is a comprehensive academic health institution with an
international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research
and teaching. The MUHC is a merger of five teaching hospitals affiliated
with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University, the Montreal
Children's, Montreal General, Royal Victoria, and Montreal Neurological
Hospitals, as well as the Montreal Chest Institute. Building on the
tradition of medical leadership of the founding hospitals, the goal of
the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge
in the health care field, and to contribute to the development of new
knowledge.
PFIZER CANADA INC
Pfizer Canada Inc. is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., the world's
leading pharmaceutical company. Pfizer discovers, develops, manufactures
and markets prescription medicines for humans and animals. Pfizer's
ongoing research and development activities focus on a wide range of
therapeutic areas following our guiding aspiration: working for a
healthier world. For more information, visit http://www.pfizer.ca/.
* Cardiovascular age is calculated as the patient's age minus the
difference between their estimated remaining life expectancy and the
average remaining life expectancy of life expectancy of Canadians the
same age and sex.
For more information, please contact:
Isabelle Kling
McGill University Health Centre
Laura Espinoza/Carolyn Santillan
Edelman (Toronto)
Alexandra Menear
Edelman (Montreal)
Source: Isabelle Kling
McGill University Health Centre
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/89913.php
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