Global cardiovascular risk management in different Italian regions: An analysis of the evaluation of final feasible effect of control training and ultra sensitisation (EFFECTUS) educational program

• Published in: Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases, 2012-08, Vol.22 (8), p.635-642
• Main Authors: Tocci, G, Ferrucci, A, Guida, P, Corsini, A, Avogaro, A, Comaschi, M, Cortese, C, Giorda, C.B, Manzato, E, Medea, G, Mureddu, G.F, Titta, G, Ventriglia, G, Riccardi, G, Zito, G.B, Volpe, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; adults; Aged; Attitude of Health Personnel; Awareness; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular Agents - therapeutic use; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cardiovascular risk management; Chi-Square Distribution; Diabetes; education programs; Education, Medical, Continuing; Educational program; Feasibility Studies; Female; females; Global cardiovascular risk; glucose; Guideline Adherence; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypertension; Italy - epidemiology; lifestyle; Male; Middle Aged; obesity; patients; physicians; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Prevalence; Preventive Health Services; Program Evaluation; Residence Characteristics; risk; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; risk management; Risk Reduction Behavior; Survey; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0939-4753; 1590-3729
• DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2010.10.009

Abstract Background and Aim The Final Evaluation Feasible Effect of Ultra Control Training and Sensitization (EFFECTUS) is an educational program, aimed at improving global CV risk stratification and management in Italy. The present study evaluates differences on clinical approach to global CV risk among physicians involved in the EFFECTUS program and stratified in three geographical macro-areas (North, Center, South) of our Country. Methods and Results Physicians were asked to submit data already available in their medical records, covering the first 10 adult outpatients, consecutively seen in the month of May 2006. Overall, 1.078 physicians (27% females, aged 50 ± 7 years) collected data of 9.904 outpatients (46.5% females, aged 67 ± 9 years), among which 3.219 (32.5%) were residents in Northern, 3.652 (36.9%) in Central and 3.033 (30.6%) in Southern Italy. A significantly higher prevalence of major CV risk factors, including obesity, physical inactivity, hypertension and diabetes, was recorded in Southern than in other areas. Accordingly, Southern physicians more frequently prescribed antihypertensive, glucose and lipid lowering agents than other physicians, who paid significantly more attention to life-style changes in their clinical practice. Conclusions This analysis of the EFFECTUS study demonstrates a high prevalence of CV risk factors in Italy, particularly in Southern areas, and indicates some important discrepancies in the clinical management of global CV risk among physcians working in different Italian regions.