Article

AIM: To describe lifestyle and risk-factor management in patients attending
cardiac rehabilitation programmes (CRPs) compared to those who do not. DESIGN: A
cross-sectional survey. METHODS: The EUROASPIRE III survey was conducted in 76
centres in 22 European countries. Consecutive patients having had a coronary
event or revascularization before the age of 80 were identified and interviewed
at least 6 months after hospital admission. RESULTS: 13,935 medical records were
reviewed and 8845 patients interviewed (participation rate 73%); 44.8% of
patients reported being advised to attend a CRP and of these 81.4% did so (36.5%
of all patients). There were wide variations between countries and diagnostic
categories, ranging from 15.9% in the Ischaemia group to 68.1% in the CABG group.
Characteristics associated with participation in a CRP included younger age, male
sex, higher educational level and CABG as a recruiting index event, while smokers
were less likely to attend a CRP. Patients who attended a CRP had a significantly
lower prevalence of smoking, better control of total and LDL-cholesterol and
higher use of beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors/ARBs and lipid-lowering drugs.
CONCLUSIONS: CRPs in Europe are underused, with poor referral and low
participation rate and wide variations between countries. Despite this
heterogeneity, the control of smoking and cholesterol and the use of
cardioprotective medication is better in those who attend a CPR. There is an
urgent need for comprehensive, multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes to
integrate professional lifestyle interventions with effective risk-factor
management, appropriately adapted to the medical, cultural and economic settings
of a country.

Langue : ANGLAIS