Is there a relationship between attitudes of general practitioners/family doctors and attitudes of their patients regarding industry-sponsored clinical investigations? A cross-sectional survey in a convenience sample of doctors and patients across nine European countries.

Aim: To assess the relationship between the attitudes of general practitioners/family medicine doctors (GP/FD) and of their patients toward industry-sponsored clinical research.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey included volunteer GPs/FDs who then enrolled and interviewed their patients. Data were analyzed in hierarchical models (patients nested in GPs/FDs, nested in countries/regions).

Changes in consultation mode during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatian family medicine: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To describe the changes in the type, length and reasons for consultations in primary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia. This study aimed to test a hypothesis regarding the increased workload of general practitioners (GPs) by introducing more virtual consultations (VCs).

Design: The study design was cross-sectional and comprised two phases: retrospective and prospective.

Lifestyle behaviours in patients with established cardiovascular diseases: a European observational study.

Background: Patients who have experienced a cardiovascular clinical event such as a myocardial infarction or stroke qualify for intensive risk factor evaluation and management. The aim of this study is to explore lifestyle changes as well as the achievement of targets for risk factors in patients with established cardiovascular disease.

Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in primary care practices.

Is a targeted and planned GP intervention effective in cardiovascular disease prevention? A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The optimal intensity and duration of the intervention to achieve sustained risk reduction in patients at high and very high cardiovascular (CV) risk still need to be established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of general practitioner's (GP's) systematic and planned intervention on total CV risk reduction and a change in individual CV risk factors.

Material And Methods: This was a cluster-randomized trial (ISRCTN31857696) including 64 practices and 3245 patients aged ≥40.

Lifestyle intervention in general practice for physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and diet in elderly: a randomized controlled trial.

The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of programmed and intensified intervention on lifestyle changes, including physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and diet, in patients aged ≥ 65 with the usual care of general practitioners (GP). In this multicenter randomized controlled trial, 738 patients aged ≥ 65 were randomly assigned to receive intensified intervention (N = 371) or usual care (N = 367) of a GP for lifestyle changes, with 18-month follow-up. The main outcome measures were physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and diet.

Diversity of metabolic syndrome criteria in association with cardiovascular diseases--a family medicine-based investigation.

Background: This study compared the association between the 3 definitions of metabolic syndrome (MetS) suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO), National Cholesterol Education Programme (NCEP ATP III), and International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and shows the prevalence and characteristics of persons with MetS in continental vs. coastal regions and rural vs. urban residence in Croatia.

Association between hyperuricemia, prediabetes, and prehypertension in the Croatian adult population--a cross-sectional study.

Background: The association between hyperuricemia, hypertension, and diabetes has been proved to have strong association with the risk for cardiovascular diseases, but it is not clear whether hyperuricemia is related to the early stages of hypertension and diabetes. Therefore, in this study we investigated the association between hyperuricemia, prediabetes, and prehypertension in Croatian adults, as well as that between purine-rich diet and hyperuricemia, prediabetes, or prehypertension.

Methods: A stratified random representative sample of 64 general practitioners (GP) was selected.

How well do anthropometric indices correlate with cardiovascular risk factors? A cross-sectional study in Croati.

Background: Usefulness of anthropometric indices (AI) as predictors of CV risk is unclear and remains controversial.

Material/methods: To evaluate the correlation between AI and CV risk factors in the Croatian adult population and to observe possible differences between coastal and inland regions and urban and rural settlements. CRISIC-fm (ISRCTN31857696) is a prospective, randomized cohort study conducted in GP (general practitioner) practices in Croatia.

Continental-Mediterranean and rural-urban differences in cardiovascular risk factors in Croatian population.

Aim: To compare the distribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors between continental and Mediterranean areas and urban and rural areas of Croatia, as well as to investigate the differences in achieving treatment goals by the general practitioners (GP) in different settings.

Methods: A multicenter prospective study was performed on 2467 participants of both sexes ≥40 years old, who visited for any reason 59 general practices covering the whole area of Croatia (May-July 2008). The study was a part of the Cardiovascular Risk and Intervention Study in Croatia-family medicine (CRISIC-fm) study.

[Diet as a cardiovascular risk factor in family medicine].

Although Mediterranean country by its geographic position, according to cardiovascular mortality (CVM) rate, Croatia belongs to Central-East European countries with high CV mortality. Prevention by changing nutritional habits is population (public health programmes) or individually targeted. General practitioner (GP) provides care for whole person in its environment and GP's team plays a key role in achieving lifestyle changes.

[Referring process in family medicine--contribution assessment].

Aims: The aim of the study was to follow and analyze patient referrals from general practice (GP) to diagnostic procedures and specialist consultations. Data on the kinds of diagnostic procedures, specialist consultations and requests for referrals were collected. Specific aim was to assess the contribution of referring for definitive diagnosis and to compare the frequency and contribution of first and repeat consultations.