Communicating cardiovascular disease risk in UK primary care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of using the heart age tool to communicate cardiovascular disease risk to primary care patients in the UK: a feasibility study
IRAS ID
237840
Contact name
Kate Jolly
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term that encompasses heart disease and strokes. It is a leading cause of death in the UK. General practitioners (GPs) in the UK use risk scoring tools to calculate patients’ chances of having a heart attack or stroke in the future. This percentage risk score (called QRISK2) is based on patients’ characteristics, family history, and other risk factors for CVD including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity. However, some research suggests that many people do not fully understand risk using numbers. A new tool has been developed called ‘heart age’. This calculates the approximate age of an ‘ideal’ person with normal risk factors but the same current risks of CVD as the patient. Therefore, having a heart age higher than your real age means you have a higher risk of CVD. This may be easier to understand for patients. Research in Spain has shown people who were given their heart age make more positive lifestyle changes resulting in a greater improvement in their risk of CVD compared with those given a percentage risk score.
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of GPs using heart age to communicate the risk of CVD to patients. It is a feasibility or pilot study, meaning only a few patients are involved, and depending on the results it may lead to a larger study in the future. 60 patients will be recruited after an NHS health check at 1 GP practice in Birmingham. Participants will be randomly put into two groups to see a GP. One group will receive their QRISK2 score (usual care) and the other group (who’s consultation will be audio-recorded) will also receive their heart age. All participants will receive a follow-up health check and blood test after 3 months.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0010
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion