Evaluation of a cardiovascular disease screening programme in primary care: Preliminary results

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the biggest cause of mortality and poor life expectancy in North-West England. The control of known risk factors is a proven means of reducing the burden of CVD at the population level. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a screening programme in reducing morbidity and mortality from CVD. Methods: The 'Find and Treat' CVD screening programme in Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust, uses general practice records to construct a 10-year CVD risk score in those patients aged 50-74, with no previous CVD diagnosis. Those with a risk of 20% or more, and those who have incomplete risk factor data are invited for a screening interview. Measurements of CVD risk factors are recorded at the interview, and appropriate advice and treatment given. Results: The programme was rolled out from October 2007. In June 2009, 42 out of 60 practices were actively collecting data. Preliminary results identified 11,499 (5.1% of underlying population) patients with a CVD risk of ≥20%, and a further 20,965 (9.2%) were found to have insufficient risk factor data. Out of these, 6498 (20.0%) have attended a screening interview. The 'Find and Treat' programme has thus far identified and treated 269 (4.1%) new cases of diabetes, 566 (8.7%) patients with hypertension, 1795 (27.6%) patients with hyperlipidemia and 94 (1.5%) patients for ischemic heart disease. Conclusions: Early detection and control of CVD, and risk factors for CVD, can prevent the impact on morbidity and health care services.