Cardiovascular Screening for Family Members of People With Acute Coronary Disease: A Patient-Initiated and Family-Oriented Strategy

Over a 12-month period, patients admitted with acute coronary disease to the cardiovascular care unit at the Jewish General Hospital (JGH), an academic tertiary care referral center in Montreal, Quebec, will be approached to refer first-degree relatives and/or household members age 18 years or older to an outpatient cardiovascular (CV) risk factor screening and treatment program. Relatives and household members will undergo a focused history, physical, and CV risk factor assessment and will receive evidence-based guideline-recommended treatment as indicated. Participants will be referred to nutritionists, smoking cessation programs, and to other allied healthcare professionals as needed. A follow-up visit at 6-months will assess treatment adherence and improvement in CV risk factors. All family and/or household members including the index patient will be encouraged to attend all healthcare visits together.

The effectiveness of the screening strategy will be measured by the total number of participants identified as intermediate or high modified Framingham 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease. The effectiveness of the primary prevention intervention will be measured by the change in percentage of the mean modified Framingham 10-year risk score for participants between the initial visit and 6-month follow-up. The value of the referral, screening, and treatment program, as well as participant engagement and satisfaction will also be systematically evaluated.