Ambulatory cardiology network in Greece: Clinical and therapeutic implications in the outpatient setting. The TEVE-SSF study

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 2016-11, Vol.223, p.613-618
• Main Authors: Panagiotopoulos, Konstantinos E, Panagiotopoulou, Eleni E, Katsaros, Konstantinos, Noikokirakis, Georgios, Mpouziou, Maria, Stamelou, Angeliki, Toumanidis, Savvas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ambulatory Care - methods; Cardiology - methods; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular Diseases - diagnosis; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - therapy; Community Networks; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Greece - epidemiology; Humans; Hypertension; Lifestyle; Lipid disorders; Male; Middle Aged; Multimorbidity; Outpatients; Prevention; Risk factors; Risk Reduction Behavior; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2016.07.261

Abstract Background Community based registries are particularly valuable tools to Preventive Cardiology as they summarize epidemiological data of ischemic heart disease risk factors, medications and lifestyle characteristics. Methods We enrolled 1191 patients, from an outpatient community based Cardiology network, dedicated to cover medically, office based professionals. We recorded demographic and lifestyle characteristics, risk factors for ischemic heart disease, all clinical entities diagnosed, and therapies which were prescribed for hypertension and lipid disorders specifically. Results Our population consisted of 659 males (55%) and 532 females (45%), (mean age 46 ± 14). A sedentary lifestyle was almost universal (92%), followed by smoking (44%) and overweight body composition (38%). Unhealthy lifestyle increased significantly during the third decade of life, while multimorbidity ascended during the fifth. Cardiovascular morbidity was present in 611 patients (51%), while 289 patients (24%) were found negative for cardiovascular disease and positive for a different system diagnosis. Lipid disorders (32%) and Hypertension (31%) were the most frequent cardiovascular entities. B-blockers and statins were the most frequently prescribed medications for Hypertension and Lipid disorders respectively. Conclusion Cardiovascular morbidity was frequent in this ambulatory middle aged population, whereas multimorbidity (mainly from gastrointestinal and endocrine system) was a significant coexisting problem, even for a cardiology oriented outpatient population. Unhealthy lifestyle is of major importance because it was present in the majority of our patients early in their life and because it was statistically related to Hyperlipidemia and Hypertension. Preventive Cardiology must introduce special interventions to deescalate the presence of unhealthy lifestyle in young populations.