WORLD HEART FEDERATION WELCOMES NEW GUIDELINES PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT HEART ATTACKS AND STROKE
WORLD HEART FEDERATION WELCOMES NEW GUIDELINES PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT HEART ATTACKS AND STROKE
Guidelines show tackling risk factors can extend lives and improve life quality
Geneva, 3 November 2011 – New guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) reveal that addressing risk factors and appropriate medication can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Endorsed by the World Heart Federation and the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association, the Guidelines also provide recommendations to extend the lives of those who have previously had a heart attack or stroke. The World Heart Federation makes the following statement:
The World Heart Federation welcomes new secondary prevention guidelines, showing control of risk factors and optimal medical treatment can help those who have experienced a heart attack or stroke and those at high risk of heart attack or stroke, as well avoid a life threatening cardiovascular event. Published online today, they highlight that lives can be extended, quality of life improved and the chances of a repeat attack or the need for artery-opening procedures or surgical bypass lowered. The guidelines writing group was chaired by our President Professor Sidney C. Smith Jr, MD, and developed jointly by our member organizations the AHA and ACC.
Professor Smith stated “Unless improvements are made in your behaviour and medical therapy, the same blood vessel problem that caused your first heart attack or stroke can occur again – and may result in death – so long-term changes need to be initiated to get the vascular disease under control”. The guidelines are important because increasing numbers of older adults are living with cardiovascular disease, and in clinical practice many patients are not getting indicated therapies. He continued “At a time when heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of death worldwide for men and women – and growing in magnitude in low- and middle-income countries – these guidelines provide simple, easy to follow recommendations which can be adapted to regional and national populations and result in major improvement in outcomes. The World Heart Federation is pleased to support these recommendations and work with its member societies to help communicate life-saving concepts.”
The World Heart Federation’s Chief Science Officer, Dr Kathryn Taubert, who was also a member of the guidelines writing group added “These guidelines are evidence-based and user-friendly.” All of the recommendations are conveniently listed in one table. There are recommendations for management of the common risk factors (smoking, high blood pressure, abnormal blood cholesterol levels, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity and diabetes mellitus).
For the first time, the guidelines recommend that all patients be referred to a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation programme after a heart attack, stroke, bypass surgery, or the diagnosis of heart-related chest pain or blockages in leg arteries. In addition, the guidelines note that it is useful to screen heart disease patients for depression, a common occurrence after heart attack or bypass that can interfere with quality of life and the ability to initiate positive changes in health behaviours.
The guidelines recommend that patients with coronary heart and other vascular disease such as stroke and peripheral artery disease:
- Stop smoking and avoid exposure to tobacco smoke
- Get at least 30 minutes of exercise 5–7 days a week
- Reduce weight if you are overweight, obese, or have a large waist
- Get an annual influenza shot
- Take low-dose aspirin daily unless your doctor prescribes a higher dose or recommends against it because of medical contraindications
In response to evidence from recent clinical trials, the guidelines make several changes for health professionals in the recommended use of medications that reduce the tendency for blood clotting (antiplatelet agents/anticoagulants). New drugs that may be used instead of clopidogrel in combination with aspirin for patients receiving coronary stents such as prasugrel or ticagrelor are included. The importance of adequate dose-statin therapy for all of these patients with known atherosclerotic vascular disease is emphasized. Low-dose aspirin therapy (75–162 mg) continues to be recommended for patients with known heart disease. “Be sure to ask your physician about therapies that can help you live longer and stay healthier after you’ve survived a heart attack or stroke and make them part of your commitment to a healthy lifestyle” Smith said.
The new guidelines, entitled “AHA/ACCF Secondary Prevention and Risk Reduction Therapy for Patients With Coronary and Other Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: 2011 Update” will be published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
http://circ.ahajournals.org/lookup/doi/10.1161/CIR.0b013e318235eb4d
To interview our President or Chief Science Officer, who were members of the guidelines writing group, or for general media enquiries please contact:
Charanjit K. Jagait, PhD
Director of Communications & Advocacy
Tel: +41 22 807 03 34; Mob: +41 (79) 625 32 96
Email: charanjit.jagait(at)worldheart.org
