INTERASPIRE a global cross-sectional survey of secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) across six WHO regions
Authors: Jennings C S , Mcevoy J W , Kotseva K , De Backer G , De Bacquer D , Erlund I , Lip G Y H , Ray K , Ryden L , Adamska A , Wood D A 
Published: July 2024

Introduction

This survey of secondary prevention of CVD was conducted through National Societies of Cardiology across all WHO regions and included Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, UAE, Poland, Portugal, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.

Purpose

The overall aim of INTERASPIRE was to assess the clinical implementation of risk reduction initiatives to reduce cardiovascular risk in line with lifestyle, risk factor and therapeutic targets defined in international and national guidelines on CVD prevention.

Methods

A consecutive sample of patients (&gt; 18 and &lt; 80 years) admitted to public hospitals in selected regions within each participating country with an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (MI), Non-ST elevation MI, acute myocardial ischaemia or for elective revascularisation was identified retrospectively from medical record systems. Patients were invited to attend a clinical visit with trained research assistants at least 6 months but not more than 2 years after their event. The assessment included self-reported smoking status validated with an expired breath carbon monoxide measurement, self-reported participation in physical activity using the Godin validated questionnaire and standardised measurements of height, weight, blood pressure, blood lipids and blood glucose including an oral glucose tolerance test.

Results

4548 (21.1% women) patients attended the clinical visit. 12.6% were smoking with wide variation across countries (1.9 – 27.3%). 48% of those who were smoking at the time of hospital admission had continued to smoke. 66.5% reported being sedentary with wide variation across countries (51.3 – 90.5%). 24% were obese and 40% centrally obese with a large difference between men (32.3%) and women (69.4%). 38% achieved a blood pressure target of &lt; 130/80 mmHg, 19.2% achieved an LDL-C target of &lt; 1.4 mmol/l and in patients with self-reported diabetes 56% achieved a target HbA1c of &lt; 53 mmol/mol (7%). In those who did not report having diabetes, a further 9.8% had undetected diabetes and 26.9% impaired glucose tolerance.

48% were prescribed all four classes of cardioprotective drugs (antiplatelets, beta blockers, ACE/ARB, lipid lowering agents) with wide variation between countries (25% - 75%) and 88.3% were prescribed both antiplatelets and lipid lowering agents. Only 1219 (26.8%) were advised to attend cardiac rehabilitation with wide variation (4.5% to 58.9%) between countries. Overall only 9.0% (men 9.1%, women 9.1%) of all patients attended cardiac rehabilitation.

Figure 1 shows the distribution of the INTERASPIRE Guideline Target Score.

Conclusion

There is substantial room for improvement in secondary prevention in patients with coronary disease globally. It is of concern that only 9% of patients received cardiac rehabilitation despite it being a Class 1 recommendation in all prevention guidelines with wide variation in advice and uptake between countries.Figure 1