Know the Risk, Make the Change
December 1st, 2007 | by Timothy Kintzel, M.D. |
Researchers from McGill University in Montreal found that simply by having physicians discuss their patients’ risks for heart disease and educate them on how to reduce them, a measurable improvement was seen. Patients were randomised to either receive “usual” care, or to have specific “ongoing feedback regarding their calculated coronary risk and the change in this risk after lifestyle changes, pharmacotherapy, or both to treat dislipidemia” (high cholesterol).
Although the difference was small, the value of utilising risk assessment was significant in preventitive cardiac care.
Reference: Arch Intern Med. 2007 Nov 26;167(21):2296-303