Trends in cardiovascular risk factors among patients with coronary heart disease: results from the EUROASPIRE I, II, and III surveys in the Münster region.

Prugger C, Heidrich J, Wellmann J, Dittrich R, Brand SM, Telgmann R, Breithardt G, Reinecke H, Scheld H, Kleine-Katthöfer P, Heuschmann PU, Keil U

Abstract

Target values for cardiovascular risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) are stated in guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. We studied secular trends in risk factors over a 12-year period among CHD patients in the region of Münster, Germany.The cross-sectional EUROASPIRE I, II and III surveys were performed in multiple centers across Europe. For all three, the Münster region was the participating German region. In the three periods 1995/96, 1999/2000, and 2006/07, the surveys included (respectively) 392, 402 and 457 <0.001 for both). Obesity became more common (23.0% to 30.6% to 43.1%, p<0.001), as did treatment with antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs (80.4% to 88.6% to 94.3%, and 35.0% to 67.4% to 87.0%, respectively; p<0.001 for both).The observed trends in cardiovascular risk factors under-score the vital need for better preventive strategies in patients with CHD.