Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The From The Heart study: a global survey of patient understanding of cholesterol management and cardiovascular risk, and physician-patient communication

Hobbs, F D Richard ; Erhardt, Leif RW LU and Rycroft, Catherine (2008) In Current Medical Research and Opinion 24(5). p.1267-1278
Abstract
Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. A high level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major CVD risk factor. Guidelines recommend effective cholesterol management and set LDL-C goals, yet deficiencies exist in physician implementation of these recommendations and in patient uptake of the advice. However, little is known of patient perceptions about CVD risk. Methods: Patients and physicians were randomly selected from ten countries to complete a confidential, semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Response rates were 27% (n = 750) for physicians and 83% (n = 1547) for patients, Patients believed cancer (43%) to be a greater cause of mortality than heart attack or stroke... (More)
Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. A high level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major CVD risk factor. Guidelines recommend effective cholesterol management and set LDL-C goals, yet deficiencies exist in physician implementation of these recommendations and in patient uptake of the advice. However, little is known of patient perceptions about CVD risk. Methods: Patients and physicians were randomly selected from ten countries to complete a confidential, semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Response rates were 27% (n = 750) for physicians and 83% (n = 1547) for patients, Patients believed cancer (43%) to be a greater cause of mortality than heart attack or stroke (34%). Despite 77% of patients claiming to be satisfied with information on high cholesterol, only 26% were aware that heart attack was a possible consequence, and only 35% of patients thought they had achieved their cholesterol goals. Virtually all physicians (99%) claimed to inform patients of their cholesterol level, while 18% of patients reported that they were not informed. Although patients and physicians were selected at random, limitations of this survey relate typically to the reliability of physician and patient responses and the possibility that the survey population may not represent the overall population. A broad range of patients' backgrounds and a high response rate (83%) suggest these effects would be minimal in the patient population. Conclusions: The From The Heart study has shown surprisingly poor knowledge of CVD risk amongst patients with elevated cholesterol. This may contribute to poor concordance with recommendations and treatment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
survey, physicians, patients, communication, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cholesterol management
in
Current Medical Research and Opinion
volume
24
issue
5
pages
1267 - 1278
publisher
LibraPharm
external identifiers
  • wos:000256189400003
  • scopus:44349118503
  • pmid:18355420
ISSN
1473-4877
DOI
10.1185/030079908X280491
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e2f4b50d-b123-474d-ad75-d554e31d4b7b (old id 1202134)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:01:34
date last changed
2022-04-05 08:34:08
@article{e2f4b50d-b123-474d-ad75-d554e31d4b7b,
  abstract     = {{Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. A high level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major CVD risk factor. Guidelines recommend effective cholesterol management and set LDL-C goals, yet deficiencies exist in physician implementation of these recommendations and in patient uptake of the advice. However, little is known of patient perceptions about CVD risk. Methods: Patients and physicians were randomly selected from ten countries to complete a confidential, semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Response rates were 27% (n = 750) for physicians and 83% (n = 1547) for patients, Patients believed cancer (43%) to be a greater cause of mortality than heart attack or stroke (34%). Despite 77% of patients claiming to be satisfied with information on high cholesterol, only 26% were aware that heart attack was a possible consequence, and only 35% of patients thought they had achieved their cholesterol goals. Virtually all physicians (99%) claimed to inform patients of their cholesterol level, while 18% of patients reported that they were not informed. Although patients and physicians were selected at random, limitations of this survey relate typically to the reliability of physician and patient responses and the possibility that the survey population may not represent the overall population. A broad range of patients' backgrounds and a high response rate (83%) suggest these effects would be minimal in the patient population. Conclusions: The From The Heart study has shown surprisingly poor knowledge of CVD risk amongst patients with elevated cholesterol. This may contribute to poor concordance with recommendations and treatment.}},
  author       = {{Hobbs, F D Richard and Erhardt, Leif RW and Rycroft, Catherine}},
  issn         = {{1473-4877}},
  keywords     = {{survey; physicians; patients; communication; cardiovascular disease (CVD); cholesterol management}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{1267--1278}},
  publisher    = {{LibraPharm}},
  series       = {{Current Medical Research and Opinion}},
  title        = {{The From The Heart study: a global survey of patient understanding of cholesterol management and cardiovascular risk, and physician-patient communication}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1185/030079908X280491}},
  doi          = {{10.1185/030079908X280491}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}