Researchers looked at family members of those who had been recently hospitalized with a heart disease. The idea was to assess the close relations and see how high their risk was for heart disease, inform them of this and offer interventions to help them lower their risk. The goal was to have them lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Discussion and training on diet, exercise and lifestyle change such as stopping smoking was given to two groups of about 250 people. In the study group more intensive intervention was offered and this included follow up over a year’s time. Regular contact was made in person n person or over the telephone at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. During that time there was reinforcement of the original teaching.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work. At one year there was reduction in LDL in both groups but the HDL (good) cholesterol went down more in the group that had more intensive instruction.
This was a small study and the authors to feel that a reassessment of how we discuss intervention with those at risk may be what is needed most
