The efficacy of an education-based secondary outpatient prevention programme after acute coronary syndrome hospitalisations and treatment in Poland. The Patient Club initiative.

Background: Guidelines on cardiovascular prevention from the European Society of Cardiology advocate sustained educational measures to be undertaken by both doctors and nurses to ensure lifestyle changes for patients after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). A planned programme of a series of educational meetings for patients after ACS was initiated in form of the Patient Club.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of the Patient Club initiative in terms of increased knowledge on cardiovascular risk factors as well as utilisation of healthy lifestyle in patents who attend the programme.