Strategies for Living Free of Cardiovascular Disease

By Richard Shank

A diverse set of medical researchers recently published an article in the journal Circulation that describes the American Heart Association’s (AHA) work to support the delivery of evidence-based medicine. This particular article is the first installment of a two-part series that presents an overview of the work that the AHA has undertaken to translate research evidence into medical practice. Circulatory System

The AHA’s mission is to “build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.” It is a patient-centered health care organization that attempts to promote innovations in care and improvements in treatment outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke.

In this study, the researchers identified their view of the current health care system as one that is fragmented, uncoordinated, and inefficient in care delivery. They acknowledge that “adults in the United States fail to receive almost half of the medical care processes from which they would likely benefit,” with no exception to medical treatment for CVD. This statement is grounded in vast research and literature documenting gaps in the quality of care—including care for CVD prevention, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke.

There remain numerous barriers to accessing this type of care, despite the reality of growing health care expenditures—expenditures that remain higher than in any other nation. According to a recent survey, total U.S. health expenditures rose 6.7% in 2006 from the year before. The overall amount represents roughly 16% of the U.S. gross domestic product.

Despite these widely known difficulties, the AHA reports having made success in reducing cases of CVD and strokes over the past decade, meeting their goal of reducing the death rate by 25%. These are promising results; however, they can easily be overstated since the prevalence of major risk factors associated with CVD and stroke remain too high, and in many cases, are getting worse. Physical activity has not increased in frequency at a significant rate, while rates of hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes continue to increase and appear at earlier ages than before.

With this in mind, the AHA is establishing new goals for the next decade to continue to improve access to care for CVD and stroke while targeting the major risk factors for the conditions. They plan to accomplish their objectives on several levels, including basic research, translation, and outcomes based on research.

This will involve the following efforts:

Supporting scientific discovery in the development of the next generation of health care professionals and researchers
Disseminating scientific information
Developing evidence-based guidelines and statements
Creating and advocating for the implementation of performance indicators
Developing clinical decision support and quality improvement tools
Developing direct-cause campaigns designed to improve the quality of patient care

The second article in this series will cover the efforts AHA is taking to empower health care consumers in a way that gets them more actively involved in their own health and health care.

Source: Daniel w. Jones, Eric D. Peterson, Robert O. Bonow, et al. 2008. Translating Research into Practice for Health care Providers: The American Heart Association’s Strategy for Building Healthier Lives, Free of Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke. Circulation 118: 1-10.

Like the new format? Tell us what you think: askaia@matherlifeways.com