Title : Doctor-patient communication about personal cardiovascular risk: A key step towards cardiovascular prevention?
Abstract:
Widespread knowledge and awareness of Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors (MCRF) may be essential to reduce the burden of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD). However, the lack of Doctor-Patient Communication (DPC) about personal Cardiovascular Risk (pCVR) could have negative impact on cardiovascular prevention achievement. The patients’ knowledge and awareness of MCRF and the frequency of DPC about pCVR may vary due to various factors. Thus, it is very important to investigate these factors, since some of them may be the potential targets for preventive strategy improvement. This would be especially important in countries with high and very high cardiovascular risk where cardiovascular prevention should be brought to the highest level as soon as possible. It is also important to point out that the patients’ knowledge and awareness of MCRF may not correlate with the frequency of DPC about pCVR. The pilot study results may direct further research and interventions focused on these issues. The results to be presented have been derived from the pilot study conducted with the convenience sample in Serbia in 2022. The data were collected by voluntary filling of survey with multiple choice questions. The study analyzed potential differencies in DPC about pCVR depending on various respondents’ characteristics, such as demographic characteristics (gender, education, place of residence etc) and clinical characteristics (the presence of MCRF i.e. hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity and smoking). The main result suggests a notable lack of DPC about pCVR in general. Therefore, doctors should make efforts
to discuss pCVR with patients, as this may be the crucial part of the preventive strategy.
Audience Take Away Notes
• The presentation will give insight into the importance of DPC about pCVR
• Potential target groups for cardiovascular prevention improvement through DPC about pCVR will be discussed
• The presented data may influence daily clinical practice by improving DPC about pCVR leading to
better cardiovascular prevention
