Four years experience of a cardiovascular opportunistic screening and prevention programme in the primary health care in Sollentuna, Sweden

Objective - To study the feasibility of a cardiovascular prevention program me. Design - Opportunistic screening for cardiovascular risk factors. Advice an d treatment to reduce identified cardiovascular risk factors. Individually designed follow-up. Setting - Primary health care in Sollentuna (51000 inhabitants), Sweden. Subjects - Visitors to health care centres. Main outcome measures - Feasibility and effectiveness to reduce identified cardiovascular risk factors. Results - During 4 years 5622 persons, of whom 4655 (83%) were in the age g roup 20-60 years, participated in the programme. The prevalences of risk fa ctors as smoking, overweight, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and hyper triglyceridaemia were high. At follow-up investigations, mean S-cholesterol levels were reduced by 7% among men and 10% among women. S-triglycerides w ere reduced by 24% and 42%, respectively. Diastolic blood pressures were re duced in men from 95 to 90 mmHg and in women from 94 to 88 mmHg. However, n o effects on weight were noted and due to a low follow-up rate meaningful a nalysis of smoking habits was not possible. Conclusion - A programme for cardiovascular screening and prevention can be integrated in the primary health care system. Prevalent cardiovascular ris k factors like hypereholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and high blood pressure were significantly reduced after intervention.