RISK
CHD
Our
experience of using RISK CHD
We
have used the program in over 3000 patients and performed over 6000 assessments
at our index site (many thousands more elsewhere), the majority of these in
the last 4 years. The index site has now assessed over 90% of patients over
25 and achieves at least 1250 assessments a year at the current rate of use.
The use of the RISK CHD program at the Rotherham Road Medical Centre (the index
site) has produced the following results .
The 1100 re-analysed show the following group effects
-
1
A reduction in smoking of 19 %
-
2
A total of 51% have improved their systolic
and 54% their diastolic blood pressure giving
an overall reduction of 7 % in systolic and
6.8 % in diastolic blood pressures. This an average diastolic reduction
of 6 mg Hg
-
3
The average BMI(Body mass index) excess(BMI above which risk of CHD increase)has
been reduced by 26%
-
4
The excess use of alcohol has been reduced by 24%
-
5 Cholesterol levels have been reduced by 7%
Each 5mg reduction in diastolic blood pressure gives a16% reduction
in risk of CHD (British Heart Foundation)
Each 1% decrease in cholesterol gives a 2-3% reduction in risk of CHD (British
Heart Foundation)
The
programme is easy to use with patients and they seem to greatly appreciate
the involvement and visual nature of the education process. Each assessment
takes about 4 minutes, although education and advice can occasionally increase
this.
It would appear that to produce a comprehensive programme of CHD prevention
for the whole practice, you need approximately 12000 assessments every 5years
per 10000 list size.
At 4 minutes a time this would use about160 hours a year of medical (Dr or
Nurse) time.We have found that the time saved by the ease of use has actually
meant that there appears to have been little extra time spent for comprehensive
assessment of our patients. Those of us whose computing skills are limited
have not found the program difficult to use.