The Prevention Team...

Translates Research Findings Into Improved Health In Colorado

Provides Innovative Public Education

Helps Health Care Providers Apply Research Findings

Impacts The Community Through Research

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Translates Research Findings Into Improved Health In Colorado

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the state of Colorado. Despite the availability of national guidelines, few patients are appropriately treated for the risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes that lead to this epidemic. Thus, Prevention Department goals are:

• Create accessible, scientifically sound strategies for physicians and patients to improve cardiovascular health.
• Strengthen communities through outreach to prevent cardiovascular disease in the medically underserved.
• Establish community and statewide partnerships that support clinical guideline adherence and cardiovascular prevention programs.
• Strong focus on vulnerable populations including rural residents, minorities, and the uninsured.
• Change health behaviors to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

Provides Innovative Public Education

In Public settings: Health-e-Solutions is an interactive cardiovascular disease risk assessment delivered via a touchscreen computer kiosk.  In less than 3 minutes, individuals obtain a customized heart disease risk score and recommendations to reduce their risk. Through a statewide grant, kiosks have been placed at health fairs, physician offices and public settings.

In 2006 and 2007, CPC collaborated with 9Health Fair and Colorado’s Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) to bring kiosks to 65 health fairs around the state. Nearly 9000 individuals completed the cardiovascular risk assessment at the fairs.  In a pilot program, individuals found to be at high risk for heart disease received follow-up phone calls from our CPC nurse to motivate entry into treatment and to enhance their understanding of heart disease risk.

On Websites: Programs developed for the kiosk are also available on the internet for widespread access. Our cardiovascular risk assessment is online at www.health-e-solutions.org .

Helps Health Care Providers Apply Research Findings

Statewide: To improve how physicians apply guidelines in their practice, CPC developed easy-to-use algorithms for cardiovascular care based on reliable, current treatment and prevention guidelines. Algorithms have been created for atherosclerosis, cardiovascular risk assessment, LDL-cholesterol treatment, hypertension management, chronic heart failure and antiplatelet therapy. These algorithms became the basis for Colorado's Adult Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Prevention guideline, created by The Colorado Clinical Guidelines Collaborative.

In Doctors’ offices: Selected doctors around the state receive cardiovascular disease management education from our cardiologist, Mori Krantz, and clinical algorithms to assist them in their day-to-day medical practice. Health-e-Solutions kiosks reside in their waiting rooms, educating patients in how to take charge of their health. These doctors provide feedback on how the kiosks and educational support impact their practice.

Impacts The Community Through Research

Statewide: CPC and the Pueblo Health Department studied the effect of a non-smoking ordinance on heart attack rates. In a before-and-after evaluation of hospital admissions for heart attack in the Pueblo area, heart attack admissions fell by 27% in the 18 months after the ban was in effect. The completed study appeared in the medical journal Circulation, October 2006, as well as in TIME magazine, Business Week, Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

In recognition of the importance of these findings, Colorado recently passed a non-smoking ordinance banning smoking in all public places including restaurants and bars. CPC has been working in a similar capacity in Greeley, Colorado as well.

Also, under the direction of Dr. Bucher-Bartelson, CPC plans to evaluate the impact of the statewide ordinance on heart attack rates.

In Hospitals: Nurses rock (but you knew that)! Dr. Mori Krantz recently completed a study with Denver Health and Hospital nurses, showing that heart failure patients managed by nurses had an 85% reduction in their re-hospitalization for heart failure and improved medication adherence.

In Doctors’ offices: CPC researched how to improve the day-to-day practice of medicine in 12 Denver-area primary care offices . Practical treatment algorithms and lectures in cardiovascular disease prevention were provided. By helping doctors apply new findings to treat high cholesterol in diabetes, the risk of heart disease was significantly reduced among nearly 900 diabetic patients. Similar reductions in heart attacks were found in a CPC led study in Greeley, CO.

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