Physician support for a population-based pharmaceutical approach to cardiovascular prevention: not there yet.

摘要

The societal costs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been well described in the past: As one of the most prevalent causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, the health-related, economic and social effects of CVD are significant (Lopez et al., 2006; Mensah and Brown, 2007). In response, a substantial evidence basis has been generated over time to enable the effective primary and secondary prevention of CVD (Pearson et al., 2002; Smith et al., 2006). Indeed, physicians today are better positioned to curtail the burden of CVD at the individual and population levels as at no previous point in medical history. Despite this fortunate confluence of knowledge and opportunity, many factors with diverse and complex origins impede progress in attaining these goals (Chiriboga et al., 2003).