Limited evidence for benefits of health promotion interventions for coronary heart disease

January 01, 0001

Limited evidence for benefits of health promotion interventions for coronary heart disease

Clinical Question:How effective are multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) in adults assumed to be without prior clinical evidence of CHD?

Bottom line: How effective are multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) in adults assumed to be without prior clinical evidence of CHD?

Caveat:Marked heterogeneity for all risk factor analyses was not explained by comorbidities, allocation concealment, use of antihypertensive or cholesterol-lowering drugs, or by age of trial.

Context:In many countries, there is enthusiasm for "healthy heart programmes" that use counselling and educational methods to encourage people to reduce their risk of developing heart disease. The risk factors targeted in such interventions include high cholesterol, excessive salt intake, high blood pressure, excess weight, a high-fat diet, smoking, diabetes and a sedentary lifestyle.

Cochrane Systematic Review:Ebrahim S. Multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of coronary heart disease. Cochrane Reviews, 2011, Issue 1. Article No. CD001561. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001561.pub3. This review contains 55 studies involving 163,471 participants.

Cochrane PEARLS Practical Evidence About Real Life Situations. No. 296, February 2011. .
Written by Brian R McAvoy. Published by the Cochrane Primary Care Group

Category: K. Circulatory. Keywords: health promotion, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, coronary heart disease
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 19 April 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care

To obtain Pearls directly, sign up here for the english language version

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.