OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of stroke risk factors in a general practice population and to identify pharmacotherapies currently used in management of stroke risk factors. DESIGN: Multicentre, observational study by 321 randomly selected general practitioners who each collected data on 50 consecutive patients attending their surgery. PATIENTS AND SETTING: 16 148 patients aged 30 years or older attending general practices across Australia during 2000. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of hypertension, current smoking, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, atrial fibrillation, recent history of stroke or TIA; extent of pharmacotherapy use in risk-factor management. RESULTS: 70% of patients had one or more risk factors and 34% had two or more. Hypertension was the risk factor with greatest prevalence (44%), followed by hypercholesterolaemia (43%) and current smoking (17%). The prevalence of risk factors generally increased with age, except for current smoking, where a decrease with age was seen. The most common pharmacotherapies were cardiovascular agents, followed by antiplatelet agents. Two-thirds of patients with hypertension were taking cardiovascular drugs, most commonly angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke risk factors are highly prevalent in general practice patients and GPs are ideally placed for opportunistic case-finding. There is considerable scope for improving management of stroke risk factors. The Avoid Stroke as Soon as Possible (ASAP) general practice stroke audit provides a baseline against which progress in risk-factor management can be measured.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of stroke risk factors in a general practice population and to identify pharmacotherapies currently used in management of stroke risk factors. DESIGN: Multicentre, observational study by 321 randomly selected general practitioners who each collected data on 50 consecutive patients attending their surgery. PATIENTS AND SETTING: 16 148 patients aged 30 years or older attending general practices across Australia during 2000. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of hypertension, current smoking, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, atrial fibrillation, recent history of stroke or TIA; extent of pharmacotherapy use in risk-factor management. RESULTS: 70% of patients had one or more risk factors and 34% had two or more. Hypertension was the risk factor with greatest prevalence (44%), followed by hypercholesterolaemia (43%) and current smoking (17%). The prevalence of risk factors generally increased with age, except for current smoking, where a decrease with age was seen. The most common pharmacotherapies were cardiovascular agents, followed by antiplatelet agents. Two-thirds of patients with hypertension were taking cardiovascular drugs, most commonly angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS:Stroke risk factors are highly prevalent in general practice patients and GPs are ideally placed for opportunistic case-finding. There is considerable scope for improving management of stroke risk factors. The Avoid Stroke as Soon as Possible (ASAP) general practice stroke audit provides a baseline against which progress in risk-factor management can be measured.
Authors: Melina Gattellari; Dominic Y Leung; Obioha C Ukoumunne; Nicholas Zwar; Jeremy Grimshaw; John M Worthington Journal: Implement Sci Date: 2011-05-20 Impact factor: 7.327
Authors: Theresa M Lee; Noah M Ivers; Sacha Bhatia; Debra A Butt; Paul Dorian; Liisa Jaakkimainen; Kori Leblanc; Dan Legge; Dante Morra; Alissia Valentinis; Laura Wing; Jacqueline Young; Karen Tu Journal: Implement Sci Date: 2016-12-03 Impact factor: 7.327
Authors: Margaret Williamson; Magnolia Cardona-Morrell; Jeffrey D Elliott; James F Reeve; Nigel P Stocks; Jon Emery; Judith M Mackson; Jane M Gunn Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2012-08-23 Impact factor: 2.655