ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to examine if the patients admitted to cardiology outpatient clinics, had had any recommendations or counselling about cardiac risk factors previously and if they had, whether they had complied with the recommendations.

The study was conducted among adult patients admitted to Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital Cardiology Out patient clinics. All patients included in the study completed a face to face questionnaire composed of socio-demographic variables, previous education or counselling about exercise, cigarette cessation, healthy diet, hypertensive, diabetic or cholesterol lowering diet, aspirin use and compliance with these recommendations. Weight and length had been measured by the researchers during outpatient examination.

Total 198 patients, 115 women (58.1%) and 83 men (41.9%) were included in the study. The mean age was 54.60±15.65. Although a high percentage of the patients declared that they had had recommendation and counselling about cardiac risk factors at least once; the compliance rate of patients was generally low. Men’s compliance to recommendation of smoking cessation was lower than women and patients with low to moderate health perception complied with this recommendation more than the patients with good health perception. Married patients complied to a hypertension diet more than unmarried ones (p<0.05).

Although the patients admitted to cardiology out patient clinic have had recommendations and counselling about cardiovascular risk factors before, their compliance with these recommendations seems low. Some factors such as sex, education and marriage affect the complinace with recommendations about cardiovascular risk factors. Further studies are needed focusing on the reasons for low patient compliance with the recommendations and how compliance could be increased. (JAREM 2012; 2: 59-63)

Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases, cardiovascular risk factors, life-style changes, patient compliance