A comparison of knowledge of medical students and practicing primary care physicians about cardiovascular risk assessment and intervention.

BACKGROUND: Heart attack and stroke are still prevalent causes of death and disability in the U.S. adult population (1, 2). Studies (3-9) have shown that modification of hypertension, smoking, and hypercholesterolemia can reduce risks for atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is important that physicians be skilled in assessing and modifying patients' overall cardiovascular risk. This study compares acquired knowledge of second-year medical students about cardiovascular risk assessment with knowledge in a selected group of practicing primary care physicians, who are members of the medical school's clinical faculty, using a new experimental testing technique called the tailored response test (TRT). METHODS: Students performed a structured cardiovascular risk intervention on a patient in primary care clinics. Their acquired knowledge was then tested using the TRT, which contained 43 discrete judgments about a clinical case. Test scores of students and faculty were compared. RESULTS: Both students and faculty demonstrated knowledge about the most important risk factors, appropriate screening tools, and interventions. However, the selected physicians did not demonstrate knowledge of certain important risk assessment and intervention recommendations, based on national standards. Only 38% of faculty and 27% of students were aware that a "fasting" serum cholesterol is not needed for screening, 30% of faculty believed that if cholesterol was over 300 they would "probably prescribe medicine" before other intervention strategies were tried, and 32% of faculty and 30% of students would order a screening chest X-ray, which is incorrect in the case history. CONCLUSIONS: The TRT, in contrast to self-report surveys, demonstrates that important cardiovascular risk assessment and intervention knowledge, with implications for cost effectiveness in health care delivery, has not penetrated to a selected group of physicians who are members of the medical school's clinical faculty and therefore serve as role models for medical students. This is disturbing, in light of current emphases on cost effectiveness in health care. Greater undergraduate curricula and CME emphasis on cardiovascular preventive practice is needed, such that almost 100% of students and faculty demonstrate knowledge, and practice, of preventive medicine according to national standards. In turn, groups developing national standards are enjoined to design and implement effective approaches for disseminating these recommendations.

Changes in physician practice for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

To determine recent changes in physicians' practices for cardiovascular disease risk reduction, a randomly selected sample of practicing primary care physicians in the upper Midwest was interviewed by telephone in 1987 and again in 1989 (response rates, greater than 90%; N = 241). The reported mean cutoff levels for labeling a total serum cholesterol level as abnormal dropped from 5.84 to 5.43 mmol/L (226 to 210 mg/dL) and for initiating medication, from 7.34 to 6.54 mmol/L (284 to 253 mg/dL). The proportion of physicians using diuretics as preferred step 1 antihypertensive agents dropped from 60% to 32%. Preferences became evenly divided among diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and beta-blockers. Advice about physical exercise changed little, but consensus among practicing physicians was high. Substantial improvements were found in smoking cessation activities. Practicing physicians are proving to be responsive to new scientific evidence and education in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Physician practice for cardiovascular disease risk-factor reduction in six upper Midwestern communities.

Preventive practice for coronary heart disease risk is increasingly accepted in the medical community. To determine the extent and characteristics of treatment advice for high blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and cigarette smoking, 274 randomly selected primary care physicians were interviewed by telephone in six Midwestern cities. Participation in the survey was 90%. Reported care for high blood pressure was consistent with national guidelines. Management of high blood cholesterol varied significantly among physicians and frequently differed from national recommendations. Although consensus existed on the importance of advising cigarette smoking cessation, reported approaches differed. The results observed indicate improved preventive practice compared with earlier surveys and recent national reports. Continued improvement, however, is needed in cholesterol and smoking-cessation management.

Effect of potassium supplementation combined with dietary sodium reduction on blood pressure in men taking antihypertensive medication.

It has long been suspected that sodium and potassium intake influence blood pressure. Since both these electrolytes can be modified by diet, attention has focused on decreasing sodium intake and increasing potassium intake as a potential way of treating and preventing hypertension. Several short-term controlled clinical trials have examined the effect of supplemental potassium intake on blood pressure, but with inconsistent results. The Minnesota Mount Sinai Hypertension Trial (MSHT) is a double-blind study comparing placebo with potassium supplementation for controlling blood pressure in hypertensive men on a sodium-restricted diet over a 2-3 year follow-up period. At the time of randomization to placebo or supplemental potassium and through 12 weeks of follow-up, the patients were taking antihypertensive medication. This preliminary report compares blood pressure changes between the placebo and supplemental potassium groups over the first 12 weeks of the trial.