University of Edinburgh

Dr Dorien Kimenai

HDR UK

DL_2023_016

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Secondary prevention is focused on patients with known heart disease to prevent a second heart event. This includes prescribing medications like cholesterol lowering medication or life style advice such a quitting smoking or losing weight. Trends in the prescription of preventative medications and life style changes in patients with known heart disease in Scotland is unclear. It also unknown whether there are differences between important patient groups (like sex or age). More insight on risk assessment and management of therapy in secondary prevention of heart disease in current practice is important to identify the gaps and where we can improve the adoption of prevention treatment to improve outcomes. In this study we aim to conduct an evaluation on trends and inequalities in risk assessment, treatment and outcomes of patients with heart disease by sex, age, ethnicity, and deprivation status.

Secondary cardiovascular prevention aims to reduce the probability of a recurrent cardiovascular event in patients with known coronary heart disease. Unfortunately, suboptimal treatment for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease have been observed over the last decades. At this point, cardiovascular risk assessment and use of evidence-based preventative drugs in patients with known heart disease in Scotland is unclear. More insight on the trends and inequalities in risk assessment and management of therapy in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in current practice is important to identify the gaps and where we can improve the adoption of preventative medication therapy in order to improve outcomes. In this study we aim to conduct a comprehensive evaluation on trends and inequalities in cardiovascular risk assessment, treatment and outcomes of patients with coronary heart disease by sex, age, ethnicity, and deprivation status. For this study, we will use routinely collected electronic healthcare data from individuals with coronary heart disease who are registered with a general practice in Southeast Scotland between April 2009 and March 2023. This study will generate insights into disparities by sex, age, ethnicity and deprivation in cardiovascular risk assessment and secondary prevention in current practice.

Public Health Research

29/09/2023

De-Personalised

TRE