Aims: To investigate time trends in vascular risk factors and medication use for patients referred to a vascular specialist with manifest vascular disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2).
Methods and results: Change in risk factor profile and medication use at referral over a 12-year period was evaluated and compared between patients with coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and DM2, who participated in the Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease study in the period of 1996-2007. A total of 4731 patients were included (mean age 59±11 years, 75% male) in the period 1996-2007. Obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m²) prevalence increased from 14 to 24%, and no change in smoking behavior was observed. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia (total cholesterol ≥4.5 mmol/l or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥2.5 mmol/l) at referral declined from 92% in 1996-1997 to 45% in 2006-2007. The proportion of patients with blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg decreased from 66 to 51%. The use of lipid-lowering, blood pressure-lowering, and antithrombotic medication at referral increased over the observation period.
Conclusion: An improvement in risk factor profile was seen in patients referred with manifest vascular disease or DM2 over a 12-year period. Nevertheless, the prevalence of modifiable risk factors is still high leaving patients at elevated vascular risk.