Heart-health program benefited family members of patients with CAD

Family members of patients with CAD who participated in a heart-health intervention program reported more fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity, but no effect on total and HDL cholesterol, researchers reported.

The study included 426 family members of patients with CAD who were randomly assigned to a family heart-health intervention (n=211) or a control group (n=215). The intervention consisted of information on risk factors, goal-setting assistance and 12 months of counseling from health educators. All participants, including controls, received printed information on healthy dietary habits, weight management, physical activity and smoking cessation.

Activity levels, fruit and vegetable consumption and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol were measured at 3 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included levels of plasma lipids and glucose, smoking status, BMI, waist circumference, BP and the use of medications to treat BP, lower lipids or aid in smoking cessation. In the event that BP or lipid levels exceeded critical threshold values, the participant’s primary care physician was notified.

At baseline, PCPs received reports due to a patient’s BP or lipid levels in 46 intervention cases and 45 controls. This number decreased to 31 and 39, respectively, at 3 months. At 12 months, 25 intervention recipients and 20 controls reported seeing their physician since the 3-month evaluation.

The intervention did not affect total/HDL cholesterol ratio (P=.6). BMI (P=.006) and waist circumference (P=.02) were significantly affected by the intervention, whereas fasting glucose levels, BP and other lipid levels were not.

Patients who received the intervention reported significantly greater daily fruit and vegetable consumption (1.2 servings more than baseline at 3 months and 0.8 servings more at 12 months; P<.001). A group by time interaction for physical activity was statistically significant (P=.03): Intervention recipients reported significantly more weekly physical activity compared with controls (65.8 more minutes per week at 3 months, 95% CI, 47-85.7; and 23.9 more minutes per week at 12 months, 95% CI, 3.9-44).

“This intervention may be an important adjunct to primary care. Effects on cardiovascular events, mortality and health care use should be determined,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: Some researchers report various financial ties with Amgen, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. One researcher is a biostatistical consultant for CMAJ and was not involved in the editorial decision-making process for the study.