CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK PERCEPTION IN PATIENTS AFFECTED BY FAMILIAL HYPERLIPIDAEMIAS IN SPECIALIST SETTING

Background and aim: The CVD risk perception is one of the main determinants of patient adhesion to preventive treatments. We have then evaluated the risk perception of 274 familial hyperlipoproteinemic subjects (M:F= 1:2; Mean age= 56±13 years) consecutively visited in the ambulatory service of Atherosclerosis Research Unit of the Bologna University. Methods: the patient risk perception was compared with the physician perception and the risk estimation by the Progetto Cuore ISS algorithm. The factors eventually associated to a higher risk perception from physician and patients have been evaluated. Results: The risk perception of the patient is totally unrelated to the electronic risk estimation (p>0.05), while it is strongly related the subjective one of the physician (p<0.01) and mainly influences by the instrumental diagnosis of atherosclerosis and by the familial history of cardiovascular disease (both, p<0.01). Before the visit, the risk perception appeared not to be related to the basal lipid levels, nor to the co-existence of other risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome). Patients with the highest risk perception were also strongly under-treated at the moment of the visit (78% of dyslipidemias, 48% of hypertension, 12% of diabetes), and those treated were largely far from the desired target (43%, 72% and 64%, respectively). Conclusion: the cardiovascular disease risk perception by patients visit in a lipid clinic usually relies to the physician one. However, also among more sensible patients, and thus those potentially more keen to begin an adequate pharmacological treatment a large part of risk factors is untreated.