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The benefits of nurse led secondary prevention clinics continued after 4 years

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 QUESTION: In patients with pre-existing coronary artery disease (CAD), do the benefits of nurse led secondary prevention clinics continue after 4 years?

Design

Randomised {allocation concealed*}, unblinded,* controlled trial with mean 4.7 years of follow up.

Setting

19 randomly selected general practices in Scotland, UK.

Patients

1343 patients (mean age 66 y, 58% men) with CAD. Exclusion criteria were terminal illness, dementia, or inability to leave home. 82% of patients were followed up.

Intervention

673 patients were allocated to receive invitations to attend secondary prevention clinics at their general practice where nurses reviewed symptoms and treatments, promoted aspirin use, reviewed blood pressure and lipid management, assessed lifestyle factors, and negotiated any necessary behavioural changes. 670 patients were allocated to usual care. The intervention ended after 1 year, individual results were sent to the general practices, and patients in both groups were allowed to attend secondary …

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Footnotes

  • Source of funding: Chief Scientist Office at the Scottish Executive.

  • For correspondence: Dr P Murchie, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK. P.murchie{at}abdn.ac.uk

  • A modified version of the abstract appears in Evidence-Based Nursing.

  • * See glossary.