Clinical trial of an Internet-based case management system for secondary prevention of heart disease

PURPOSE: Despite demonstrated benefits of cardiac rehabilitation and risk factor reduction, only 11% to 38% of eligible patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) participate in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Women and older adults are particularly less likely to participate in cardiac rehabilitation. In an effort to broaden access to cardiac rehabilitation, the authors developed an alternative Internet-based program that allows nurse case managers to provide risk factor management training, risk factor education, and monitoring services to patients with CVD. METHODS: The evaluation consisted of a randomized, clinical trial involving 104 patients with CVD, 53 of whom used the program as a special intervention (SI) for 6 months and 51 of whom received usual care (UC). RESULTS: The results indicate that fewer cardiovascular events occurred among the SI subjects (15.7%) than among the UC subjects (4.1%) (P =.053), resulting in a gross cost savings of $1418 US dollars per patient. With a projected program cost of $453 USD per patient, the return on investment is estimated at 213%. More weight loss occurred in the SI group (-3.68 pounds) than in the UC group (+.47 pounds) (P =.003). The differences between the two groups in terms of blood pressure, lipid levels, depression scores, minutes of exercise, and dietary habits were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: An Internet-based case management system could be used as a cost-effective intervention for patients with CVD, either independently or in conjunction with traditional cardiac rehabilitation.     

Outcomes of a 12-Month Technology-Based Intervention to Promote Weight Loss in Adolescents at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Background:

Obese adolescents are at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Obesity interventions delivered through media, such as the web and text messages [short message service (SMS)] may be beneficial when targeting obese adolescents.

Methods:

A randomized controlled trial, Pace-Internet for Diabetes Prevention Intervention (PACEi-DP), compared three forms of an obesity intervention to usual care (UC): (a) website only (W); (b) website, monthly group sessions, and follow-up calls (WG); and (c) website and SMS (WSMS). Participants were overweight or obese adolescents at risk for T2DM (n = 101; age 12–16 years; mean body mass index (BMI) percentile = 97.6; 74.3% Hispanic). In addition to the website, WSMS participants received SMS supporting intervention goals and behavioral strategies and communicated via SMS with a case manager. WG participants had additional group activities related to weight loss and received follow-up calls from a health coach. UC participants were given printed materials and encouraged to attend three initial group sessions. Repeated measures mixed model regression analyses tested treatment effects for anthropometric, behavioral, and behavioral change strategy outcomes.

Results:

There were no treatment effects for BMI, adiposity, physical activity, or diet at 12 months. Treatment effects were observed for sedentary behavior, with the W arm having a greater decrease in sedentary behavior (4.9 to 2.8 h/day) than the UC arm (p =.006).

Conclusion:

Although not sufficient to produce weight loss, the combination of web intervention and group sessions with telephone follow-up yielded improvements in sedentary behavior and in the use of behavior change strategies expected to lead to behavior change.     

Does aortic stiffness improve the prediction of coronary heart disease in elderly? The Rotterdam Study

It has been demonstrated that aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether this measure is of use in cardiovascular risk stratification in clinical practice for elderly subjects (mean age 71.5 years). Within the framework of the Rotterdam Study, we stratified subjects free of coronary heart disease (CHD) at baseline into categories of low (<10%), intermediate (10-20%) and high (>20%) 10-year risk of CHD based on Framingham risk factors. Within each risk category, we determined the percentages of subjects moving into a higher or lower risk category when adding aortic stiffness to the Framingham risk factors. Among 2849 participants, 223 CHD events occurred during a median follow-up of 7.9 years. In the low risk group, 5% of the subjects could be reclassified and in the high-risk group, 6% of the subjects could be reclassified to the intermediate-risk group. In the intermediate-risk group 3% could be reclassified to the high-risk group and 6% to the low-risk group. In a population of elderly subjects, aortic stiffness measurement in addition to Framingham risk factors leads to a limited reclassification of subjects in 10-year cardiovascular disease-risk categories. Therefore, aortic stiffness is associated with the risk of CHD in elderly, but provides no additional value in cardiovascular risk stratification.     

Coronary risk versus cardiovascular risk for treatment decisions in mild hypertension

BACKGROUND: British guidelines recommend treatment for mild hypertension at a cardiovascular (CVD) risk threshold of 20% over 10 years. However, treatment is targeted at the equivalent coronary (CHD) risk of 15% over 10 years. We examined the relationship between CHD and CVD risk in men and women with mild hypertension and assessed the accuracy of using a 10-year CHD risk threshold of 15% to identify patients at a 10-year CVD risk > or = 20%. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of England in 1998. METHODS: We identified 5588 subjects aged 35-74 years free of cardiovascular disease with complete data for risk assessment. Of these, 1364 (24.4%) had mild hypertension (systolic pressure 140-159 mmHg or diastolic pressure 90-99 mmHg). The Framingham functions were used to estimate CHD and CVD event risk for each individual. RESULTS: At a 10-year CHD risk of 15%, the corresponding 10-year CVD risk for men and women, respectively was 20% and 21% in those aged < 55 years, and 24% and 25% in those aged > or = 55 years. Using a 10-year CHD risk threshold of 15% to identify patients at a 10-year CVD risk > or = 20% had high specificity (>96%) in all four groups. For men and women respectively, the sensitivity was 73% (62-84%) and 62% (35-88%) in younger subjects, and 89% (85-93%) and 47% (38-56%) in older subjects. CONCLUSION: Using a 10-year CHD risk of 15% to target patients at a 10-year CVD risk > or = 20% was reasonably accurate for men but missed about 50% of women eligible for antihypertensive treatment.     

Sustained increase in physical fitness independently predicts improvements in cardiometabolic risk profile in type 2 diabetes

Aims

To investigate the relationship between changes in physical fitness and cardiovascular risk factors and scores in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving either a behavioural counselling intervention to increase moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and decrease sedentary-time (SED-time) or standard care.

Materials and Methods

This is a pre-specified ancillary analysis of the Italian Diabetes and Exercise Study_2, a 3-year randomized clinical trial in which 300 physically inactive and sedentary patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either a one-month theoretical and practical counselling each year or standard care. Mean changes from baseline throughout the 3-year period in MVPA, SED-time, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO_2max), muscle strength, flexibility, cardiovascular risk factors and scores were calculated for study completers (n = 267) and considered irrespective of study arm.

Results

Haemoglobin (Hb) A_1c and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk scores decreased with quartiles of VO_2max and lower body muscle strength changes. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that increases in VO_2max independently predicted decreases in HbA_1c, blood glucose, diastolic blood pressure (BP), CHD and total stroke 10-year risk and increases in HDL cholesterol, whereas increases in lower body muscle strength independently predicted decreases in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triglycerides, systolic BP, CHD and fatal stroke 10-year risk. These associations remained after including changes in BMI, waist circumference, fat mass and fat-free mass, or MVPA and SED-time as covariates.

Conclusions

Improvement in physical fitness predicts favourable changes in cardiometabolic risk profile, independent of changes not only in (central) adiposity or body composition but also in MVPA and SED-time.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT01600937; URL https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01600937 .     

Risk assessment for coronary heart disease in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND: The risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) is increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The reasons for this remain unknown, but traditional risk factors for CHD identified in the general population may be important contributors. OBJECTIVE: To assess comparatively the prevalence of traditional CHD risk factors and the absolute 10-year CHD risk in patients with RA or osteoarthritis (OA) without known cardiovascular co-morbidity. METHODS: Consecutive Caucasian hospital outpatients with RA (n = 150) or OA (n = 100) aged 40-75 years were assessed for known cardiovascular co-morbidity, age, sex, smoking status, presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), height, weight, systolic blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC) and HDL cholesterol. Absolute 10-year CHD risk for each individual was calculated using the Joint British Societies CHD risk calculator. RESULTS: Prevalence and distribution of known cardiovascular co-morbid conditions were similar in RA (56/150, 37%) and OA (34/100, 34%). The resulting subgroups of patients without known co-morbidity (RA: n = 94; OA: n = 66) were not significantly different for age, sex, DM, smoking, systolic BP or TC: HDL cholesterol ratio. There was no significant difference in the absolute 10-year CHD risk between RA and OA (15.6+/-11.0 versus 14.8+/-9.3, p = 0.63). However, a significant proportion of patients without known cardiovascular disease in both the RA and OA subgroups had a 10-year CHD risk above the 15% or 30% risk levels, indicating the need for possible or definite intervention respectively. Over 80% of RA patients had at least 1 CHD risk factor that could be modified. CONCLUSION: Absolute 10-year CHD risk was not different between RA and OA patients in this study. Substantial numbers of RA and OA patients have potentially modifiable CHD risk factors present. We suggest that CHD risk should be assessed and modifiable risk factors addressed in the routine rheumatology clinic setting.     

Intensified preventive care to reduce cardiovascular risk in healthcare centres located in deprived neighbourhoods: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: We examined the effectiveness of a structured collaboration in general practice between a practice nurse, a peer health educator, the general practitioner (GP) and a GP assistant in providing intensified preventive care for patients at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial in three healthcare centres (18 GPs) in deprived neighbourhoods of two major Dutch cities. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-five high-risk patients (30-70 years) from various ethnic groups were randomized to intervention (n=137) or usual care group (n=138). We determined group differences in outcomes [10-year absolute risk (Framingham risk equation), blood pressure, lipids and body mass index] at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: The 10-year absolute risk was reduced by 1.76% (standard error: 0.81) in intervention and by 2.27% (standard error: 0.69) in usual care group; the difference in mean change was 0.88% [95% confidence interval: -1.16 to 2.93]. In both groups significant reductions were observed in the following individual risk factors: total cholesterol, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, with no relevance between group differences. CONCLUSION: The cardiovascular risk profile of intervention and control patients improved after 1-year follow-up. However, no extra effect of the structured preventive care on the risk for cardiovascular diseases was achieved.     

Effects of structured hospital-based care compared with standard care for Type 2 diabetes-The Asker and Baerum Cardiovascular Diabetes Study, a randomized trial.

AIMS: Few studies have compared structured vs. standard care on the effects of modifying several cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in subjects with Type 2 diabetes. Because of the complexity of the disease, we hypothesized that structured care with a multi-interventional approach is necessary to effectively reach treatment goals and to reduce CV risk. METHODS: An open 2-year parallel-group study in 120 patients (age 59 +/- 10 years, 31 females) with Type 2 diabetes (median duration 4 years) was conducted. The patients were randomized to standard care (follow-up by their general practitioner) or to structured care at a hospital outpatient clinic consisting of an initial 6 months' lifestyle programme followed by targeted intensified pharmacological treatment to reach prespecified goals for glycaemic, lipid and blood pressure (BP) control. The primary outcome was change in the estimated 10-year absolute risk for fatal coronary heart disease (CHD). RESULTS: One hundred and six patients completed the study. Improvements were greater among patients receiving structured rather than standard care for systolic BP, triglycerides, glucose and glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) (P < 0.05), as well as for the estimated 10-year CHD-risk (17.9% to 14.5% vs. 18.3% to 19.6%) and the prevalence of a CHD risk >or= 20% (38% to 22% vs. 39% to 45%). Most of the reduction in estimated CHD risk (77%) in the structured care group was obtained during the period (6-24 months) with intensified pharmacological treatment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that 2 years of structured care combining lifestyle and pharmacological interventions improved several CV risk factors and reduced the estimated 10-year absolute risk for CHD in patients with Type 2 diabetes.     

Diabetes,plasma insulin,and cardiovascular disease: subgroup analysis from the Department of Veterans Affairs high-density lipoprotein intervention trial (VA-HIT)

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose level, or insulin resistance are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of gemfibrozil in subjects with varying levels of glucose tolerance or hyperinsulinemia and to examine the association between diabetes status and glucose and insulin levels and risk of cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: Subgroup analyses from the Department of Veterans Affairs High-Density Lipoprotein Intervention Trial, a randomized controlled trial that enrolled 2531 men with coronary heart disease (CHD), a high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of 40 mg/dL or less (/=271 pmol/L) was associated with a 31% increased risk of events (P =.03). Gemfibrozil was effective in persons with diabetes (risk reduction for composite end point, 32%; P =.004). The reduction in CHD death was 41% (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39-0.91; P =.02). Among individuals without diabetes, gemfibrozil was most efficacious for those in the highest fasting plasma insulin level quartile (risk reduction, 35%; P =.04). CONCLUSION: In men with CHD and a low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, gemfibrozil use was associated with a reduction in major cardiovascular events in persons with diabetes and in nondiabetic subjects with a high fasting plasma insulin level.     

Integrative medicine and systemic outcomes research: issues in the emergence of a new model for primary health care.

Clinicians and researchers are increasingly using the term integrative medicine to refer to the merging of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with conventional biomedicine. However, combination medicine (CAM added to conventional) is not integrative. Integrative medicine represents a higher-order system of systems of care that emphasizes wellness and healing of the entire person (bio-psycho-socio-spiritual dimensions) as primary goals, drawing on both conventional and CAM approaches in the context of a supportive and effective physician-patient relationship. Using the context of integrative medicine, this article outlines the relevance of complex systems theory as an approach to health outcomes research. In this view, health is an emergent property of the person as a complex living system. Within this conceptualization, the whole may exhibit properties that its separate parts do not possess. Thus, unlike biomedical research that typically examines parts of health care and parts of the individual, one at a time, but not the complete system, integrative outcomes research advocates the study of the whole. The whole system includes the patient-provider relationship, multiple conventional and CAM treatments, and the philosophical context of care as the intervention. The systemic outcomes encompass the simultaneous, interactive changes within the whole person.     

A high risk score for coronary heart disease is associated with the metabolic syndrome in 40-year-old men and women

OBJECTIVE: Guidelines recommend follow-up of people whose 10-year risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) is > 10%. We calculated CHD risk, number of risk factors and occurrence of the metabolic syndrome among screened 40-year-old men and women. DESIGN: A total of 1547 women and 1374 men participated in a cardiovascular risk factor screening programme in 1997-1999 in Oslo. Of 387 (13%) recalled for further examination and advice, 337 (87%) attended. We used the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria to define the metabolic syndrome and the Framingham risk score to assess absolute 10-year risk of CHD and counted nine risk factors (male, southeast-Asian origin, low education, smoking, premature familial cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, high waist circumference, impaired fasting glucose or diabetes and high apolipoprotein B). RESULTS: More than one-third of subjects recalled for hypertension (n = 88) or low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (n = 95) had the metabolic syndrome. Of 55 subjects with a 10-year risk score > 10%, 33 (60%) had the metabolic syndrome. Subjects with the metabolic syndrome had a higher risk score compared with their counterparts (P < 0.001); among men with the metabolic syndrome, the mean +/- SD risk score was 10.0 +/- 4.4%. Subjects with dyslipidaemia [high triglyceride and normal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels] or combined hyperlipidaemia had a higher risk score and more risk factors compared with subjects with isolated high LDL cholesterol (P < 0.05). Only 12% of subjects with hypertension were taking drugs and of 237 subjects with a lipid disorder, 30% had been given dietary advice and one was taking a lipid-lowering drug. CONCLUSION: CVD screening should focus on identifying people with features of the metabolic syndrome in this age group. The screening programme uncovered a substantial potential for CVD prevention.     

中国35～64岁人群胆固醇水平与10年心血管病发病危险的前瞻性研究

目的探讨我国35～64岁人群血清总胆固醇（TC）水平与心血管病（包括急性冠心病事件和急性脑卒中事件）发病危险的关系。方法采用前瞻性队列研究的方法,对1992年建立的11省市35—64岁队列人群共30384人的基线TC水平和1992-2002年发生的急性冠心病事件和急性脑卒中事件的关系进行分析。应用Cox比例风险模型对TC水平与心血管病发病危险进行多因素分析。结果（1）以TC〈3．64mmol／L（140mg／d1）组为对照,随着TC水平的增加,缺血性心血管病发病危险呈持续增加变化。（2）TC水平与不同类型的心血管病的关系有所差别：缺血性脑卒中事件发病危险从TC很低水平（〈3．64mmol／L）开始,随着TC水平的增加呈持续上升的变化;而出血性脑卒中事件与TC水平的关系缺乏一致性。多因素分析结果显示：与TC〈5．72mmol／L（220mg／d1）相比,TC≥5．72mmol／L时急性冠心病发病危险增加74％（RR=1．743,P〈0．01）,缺血性脑卒中发病危险增加12％（RR=1．119,P〉0．05）。（3）在缺血性心血管病事件中,5．9％可归因于高TC血症;其中11．7％的急性冠心病事件和2．9％的急性缺血性脑卒中事件可归因于高TC血症。（4）不同TC水平时,随着合并其他心血管病危险因素个数的增加,10年心血管病发病的绝对危险增加。结论从TC低水平〈3．64mmol／L（140mg／dl）开始,随着TC水平的增加缺血性心血管病的发病危险持续上升。应该加强多重危险因素的综合干预,以减少心血管病的综合危险。     

Coronary heart disease death,nonfatal acute myocardial infarction and other clinical outcomes in the multiple risk factor intervention trial

The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial was a randomized clinical study to test whether a special intervention (SI) program aimed at reducing serum cholesterol levels, blood pressure and cigarette smoking would prevent coronary heart disease (CHD) in middle-aged men. The main endpoint reported here is the percentage of participants experiencing first major CHD events (either nonfatal acute myocardial infarction [AMI] or CHD death) during 7 years of follow-up. This outcome was slightly less frequent in the 6,428 SI men than in the 6,438 men assigned to their usual source of care (UC). However, the relative difference—either 1% (95% confidence interval −17% to 16%) or 8% (95% confidence interval −5% to 20%), depending on how AMI was classified—was not statistically significant.Regression analyses within the SI and UC groups suggested that the cholesterol and cigarette smoking interventions reduced the number of first major CHD events: the associations between lowering the levels of these 2 factors and reductions in CHD rates were significant (p < 0.001) and of the anticipated magnitude. A similar analysis of antihypertensive treatment in the SI group revealed no favorable association between lowering blood pressure and CHD rate, and other subgroup comparisons suggested that a mixture of beneficial and adverse effects may underlie this finding. Thus, the nonsignificant overall UC/SI contrast in CHD rates may reflect a combination of the expected beneficial effects of the cholesterol and smoking interventions with unexpected heterogeneous effects of the antihypertensive intervention.Seven of 8 other prespecified cardiovascular endpoihts occurred less frequently among SI than among UC men, the difference being nominally significant (p < 0.05) for angina pectoris, congestive heart failure and peripheral arterial disease.     

Association of high sensitivity C-reactive protein with coronary heart disease prediction, but not with carotid atherosclerosis, in patients with hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is believed to predict coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy subjects and in patients with atherosclerosis. We investigated the association of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP) and other inflammatory markers on cardiovascular outcome, and carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 122 hypertensive patients and compared them with 64 normotensive volunteers. We measured circulating levels of HS-CRP, white blood cells (WBC), albumin, fibrinogen, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and interleukin-6, and examined the associations with traditional risk factors of CHD, carotid atherosclerosis, and a 10-year risk of CHD, based on the risk prediction algorithm of the Framingham model. The mean of blood pressure (BP) of the hypertensive patients was 163/102 mmHg (normotensives; 118/79 mmHg). The 10-year risk of CHD was higher in the hypertensive patients (9.3 +/- 7.3%) compared with the normotensive volunteers (4.3 +/- 4.2%). Albumin and HS-CRP were significantly higher in the hypertensive patients. Multivariate analysis showed that among markers, only HS-CRP was associated with 10-year risk of CHD (beta=0.13, p=0.03). The BP, body mass index, high-density lipoprotein, WBC count, fibrinogen, and cardiac hypertrophy increased across quartiles of HS-CRP. There was no association between HS-CRP and carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with hypertension and normotension. CONCLUSION: A higher HS-CRP level was associated with a higher risk score of CHD, but not with carotid atherosclerosis, in patients with hypertension.     

Hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease: an evidence based approach

The recently reported results of one of the arms of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) (the Estrogen + Progestin arm) have sparked a substantial amount of debate and controversy over the interpretation of the study findings and their implications for the practice of medicine, in particular in reference to the role that hormone therapy (HT) has in the prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD). The WHI study is the only large randomized clinical trial that, to date, has addressed the issue of HT in the primary prevention of CHD and has provided evidence that the formulation used in the study does not provide CHD benefits and increases the overall risk for cardiovascular disease. The WHI findings, together with the findings from other clinical trials that have been published since the initiation of WHI, provide no support for HT in cardiovascular disease prevention. Questions regarding different formulations and administration routes still remain, however, the prudent and sensible approach, while we collect the evidence on these important issues, is to refrain from considering HT a viable solution to the prevention of CHD in post-menopausal women.     

Effect of a multimodality natural medicine program on carotid atherosclerosis in older subjects: a pilot trial of Maharishi Vedic Medicine

Although the onset and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD) involve multiple risk factors, few intervention studies have attempted to modify these factors simultaneously. This pilot study tested the effect of a multimodality intervention involving dietary, exercise, herbal food supplement, and stress reduction approaches from a traditional system of natural medicine, Maharishi Vedic Medicine (MVM). The primary outcome measure was carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a noninvasive measure of peripheral atherosclerosis and surrogate measure of coronary atherosclerosis. Comparison groups included modern medicine (conventional dietary, exercise, and multivitamin approaches) and usual care (no added intervention). Of 57 healthy seniors (mean age 74 years) randomized to the 3 treatment groups, 46 completed IMT post-testing. Carotid IMT was determined by B-mode ultrasound before and after 1 year of treatment. IMT decreased in a larger fraction of MVM subjects (16 of 20) than in the modern (5 of 9) and usual care (7 of 14) groups combined (i.e., 12 of 23; odds ratio 3.7, p = 0.05). For subjects with multiple CHD risk factors ("high-risk" subjects, n = 15), IMT decreased more in the MVM (-0.32 +/- 0.23 mm, mean +/- SD) than in the usual care (+0.022 +/- 0.085; p = 0.009) or modern (-0.082 +/- 0.095, p = 0.10) groups. Within-group reductions in IMT were significant for all MVM subjects (-0.15 +/- 0.21, n = 20, p = 0.004) and for high-risk MVM subjects (n = 6, p = 0.01). These results show that this multimodality traditional approach can attenuate atherosclerosis in older subjects, particularly those with marked CHD risk.     

Potential synergy between lipid-lowering and blood-pressure-lowering in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial.

AIMS: A prespecified objective of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT) was to assess whether any synergistic effects were apparent between the lipid-lowering and blood-pressure-lowering regimens in preventing cardiovascular events. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 19 257 hypertensive subjects were randomized to an amlodipine-based regimen or an atenolol-based regimen. Of these, 10 305 subjects with total cholesterol < or =6.5 mmol/L were further randomized to atorvastatin 10 mg daily or placebo. In this analysis, the effects of atorvastatin were compared with placebo on coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular and stroke events in those assigned amlodipine-based and atenolol-based regimens. In the ASCOT lipid-lowering arm (LLA), overall, atorvastatin reduced the relative risk of the primary endpoint of non-fatal myocardial infarction and fatal CHD events by 36% (HR 0.64, CI 0.50-0.83, P=0.0005), total cardiovascular events by 21% (HR 0.79, CI 0.69-0.90, P=0.0005), and stroke by 27% (HR 0.73, CI 0.56-0.96, P=0.024). However, atorvastatin reduced the relative risk of CHD events by 53% (HR 0.47, CI 0.32-0.69, P<0.0001) among those allocated the amlodipine-based regimen, and by 16% (HR 0.84, CI 0.60-1.17, p: n.s.) among those allocated the atenolol-based regimen (P=0.025 for heterogeneity). There were no significant differences between the effects of atorvastatin on total cardiovascular events or strokes among those assigned amlodipine (HR 0.73, CI 0.60-0.88, P<0.005 and HR 0.69, CI 0.45-1.06, P: n.s., respectively) or atenolol (HR 0.85, CI 0.71-1.02, P: n.s and HR 0.76, CI 0.53-1.08, P: n.s, respectively). Differences in blood pressure and lipid parameters (placebo corrected) between the two antihypertensive treatment limbs could not account for the differences observed in CHD outcome. CONCLUSION: These findings of an apparent interaction between atorvastatin and an amlodipine-based regimen in the prevention of CHD events are of borderline significance, and hence generate an hypothesis that merits independent evaluation in other trials.     

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??Summary??Currently??medical science are separate from each other??to resolve the situation call for integrative medicine.Integrative medicine in detail has two dimensions??that is??to achieve a seamless link among the hospital-Community-home health care services??to achieve effective communication multidisciplinary??unified combination.Modern cardiovascular disease treatment model??for example??proposed to better implement medicine Integration/patient-centered care??be sure to teamwork??shared decision-making??health service integration.Learning from abroad ideal about integrated medical model??to promote medical humanities into the clinical??must adhere three unchanged and three changes.In short??integrated medicine/patient-centered care in order to reflect the core values of humanity??is the only way to achieve medical purposes??is the direction of health care reform and medical education/health care model reform needs.