Cardiovascular diseases cause more than a quarter of all deaths in Scotland, the second most common cause of death after cancer. Scotland is predicting a 21% rise in disease burden by 2043 and a major cause of this increase is linked to CVD. Whilst some CVD figures have previously improved with the reduction in smoking, some of these are now rising again with the impact of obesity on our health, closely linked to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
We have now commenced a Scottish CVD Risk Factors programme which is part of a wider suite of work focusing on preventing and detecting ill health before it happens.
The Scottish Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Enhanced Service is a healthcare initiative aimed at improving the prevention, diagnosis, and management of cardiovascular disease in Scotland. The service is designed to deliver more personalized and proactive care for patients at risk of, or currently living with, cardiovascular conditions. Here's a summary of key features:
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Targeted Risk Assessment:
The service focuses on identifying patients at high risk of CVD through regular assessments, including blood pressure checks, cholesterol levels, and lifestyle factors (such as smoking and physical activity). It emphasizes early intervention to prevent the development of more serious conditions.
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Personalized Care Plans:
Patients identified at risk are provided with tailored care plans, including lifestyle advice (diet, exercise), pharmacological interventions (statins, antihypertensives), and monitoring.
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Multidisciplinary Approach:
The service encourages collaboration between GPs, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive comprehensive care. This includes the monitoring and management of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
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Focus on Prevention:
A key element is primary prevention, aiming to reduce the occurrence of CVD in the population by identifying those at risk early and offering lifestyle advice or medication to help lower that risk.
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Enhanced Pharmacotherapy:
There is an emphasis on appropriate medication, including blood pressure-lowering drugs, cholesterol management, and anticoagulants, depending on individual patient needs.
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Health Inequalities:
The service aims to address health inequalities by focusing on underserved populations and offering support to those in more deprived areas who are at higher risk of CVD.
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Long-Term Monitoring:
Patients are monitored regularly for changes in their cardiovascular health, with adjustments to their care plans as necessary. This continuous care model aims to improve long-term health outcomes.
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Data Recording and Quality Improvement:
The service also involves data collection for continuous monitoring and quality improvement, ensuring that the service remains effective and meets the needs of patients.
In essence, the Scottish CVD Enhanced Service is a proactive, patient-centered approach to cardiovascular health that aims to reduce the burden of heart disease across the population, with a strong focus on early detection, prevention, and ongoing management.
The challenge of CVD continues today. Around 685,000 people in Scotland live with the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). British Heart Foundation
Action Plan to reduce CVD risks
Our aim is to make improvements across the whole system of health care to help us to find CVD risk factors sooner, work with the person on their risk reduction plan and to ultimately reduce a person’s risk. The programme also will be working to raise awareness and understanding of cardiometabolic health and reducing CVD risk, and to support citizens and communities to be more in control of their health and managing any risk factors. The CVD Risk Factor work will be building on work already underway in linked national strategies.
The 5 modifiable risk factors to find>optimise>reduce are:
- 1 High blood pressure
- 2 High lipids
- 3 High blood sugar
- 4 Obesity
- 5 Smoking
Additionally, there are non-modifiable factors which place people at higher CVD Risk –
- Ethnicity (Black and South Asian)
- Taking certain medications e.g. antipsychotics
- Family history - related to early CVD death, familial hypercholesterolaemia, lipoprotein (a).
Patients will be eligible for checks if they meet the following conditions:
- Are aged 35-60; and
- Have not received the full suite of CVD checks in the last 3 years:
- a BP;
- a lipid profile or cholesterol test or a key element of this;
- a weight/BMI;
- an assessment of glycaemic level such as blood glucose/HbA1c; and
- a smoking status asked
If you wish an appointment please call the health centre on 01700 501527
CVD lifestyle advice
Health Matters: Cardiovascular (CVD) disease prevention - YouTube