Background
This initiative addressed the needs of patients by increasing awareness of CHD risk and risk factors in diabetes, allowing more informed decision-making about lifestyle changes and drug treatments to reduce risk.
This initiative is very simple and can be implemented at minimal cost. As advice is written and personalised, those with more risk factors will be encouraged to make the greatest changes.There are national objectives to reduce CHD events in patients with diabetes and evaluation of this pilot study showed a favourable change in risk factors in patients given personalised risk information.
Start date: 2001
End date: 2002 (Pilot study and evaluation)
Objectives
To provide patients with personalised information about predicted CHD risk based on the Framingham equation.
To provide written information about recommended lifestyle changes and drug treatments to reduce risk based on current national guidelines, and estimated benefits of these changes.
Service Provided
Patients attending hospital diabetes clinic for annual review have blood tests (including cholesterol) measured prior to clinic visit, and blood pressure (SBP) measured by nursing staff on arrival. Risk factors can then be simply entered into an Excel spreadsheet with the patient details.
A printout is automatically generated and given to the patient as a single sheet including estimated CHD risk, simple written recommendations for risk factor modification and drug treatment based on current guidelines, and the predicted effect of making these changes.
Project Aims
Increased patient awareness of the role of cardiovascular risk factors in maintaining health in diabetes.
Favourable modification of cardiovascular risk factors.
Evaluation
An evaluation of this pilot project in 100 patients showed a lower systolic blood pressure (7mmHg) and lower total cholesterol (0.5 mmol/L) in patients given personalised CHD risk information, compared with a control group. Diabetic Medicine 2003;20(Suppl 2):25.
Resources
Staff able to take blood pressure and input risk factor data into simple spreadsheet. Computer and printer in clinic area.
Funding/Costs:
Funding was obtained to purchase a computer and printer as these were not available in our clinic area. No specific ongoing staff costs as any member of staff can generate an information sheet for the patient.
Learning
Spreadsheet available from address below.
Requires access to computer and printer in clinical area.
Requires knowledge of patients? recent total and HDL cholesterol results.