Share The Pressure.

This paper summarises 'Share The Pressure' (STP), a project that developed and piloted a scalable model for engaging patients on the benefits of risk factor control for healthy ageing; training healthcare professionals (HCPs) in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk communication and to engage patients around the benefits of understanding risk factor control to enable healthy ageing (age- based approaches have been demonstrated to be motivating for patients). Thus, to improve shared decision-making processes between nurses, pharmacists, and patients. The study features the use of a CVD risk tool called Heart Age, which has been shown to effectively motivate risk factor reduction in individuals.

The evaluation of goal-directed activities to promote well-being and health in heart failure: EUROIA scale.

Background: The EvalUation of goal-diRected activities to prOmote well-beIng and heAlth (EUROIA) scale is a novel patient-reported measure that was administered to individuals with chronic heart failure (CHF). It assesses goal-directed activities that are self-reported as being personally meaningful and commonly utilized to optimize health-related quality of life (HRQL). Our aim was to evaluate psychometric properties of the EUROIA, and to determine if it accounted for novel variance in its association with clinical outcomes.

The Development and Evaluation of "Life Age"-a Primary Prevention and Population-Focused Risk Communication Tool: Feasibility Study With a Single-Arm Repeated Measures Design.

Background: Communicating cardiovascular risk to the general population requires forms of communication that can enhance risk perception and stimulate lifestyle changes associated with reduced cardiovascular risk.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the motivational potential of a novel lifestyle risk assessment ("Life Age") based on factors predictive of both premature mortality and psychosocial well-being.

Methods: A feasibility study with a single-arm repeated measures design was conducted to evaluate the potential efficacy of Life Age on motivating lifestyle changes.

The role of collaborative, multistakeholder partnerships in reshaping the health management of patients with noncommunicable diseases during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Policies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of noncommunicable (NCD) patients while affecting NCD prevention and risk factor control.

Aims: To discuss how the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic affected the health management of NCD patients, identify which aspects should be carried forward into future NCD management, and propose collaborative efforts among public-private institutions to effectively shape NCD care models.

Methods: The NCD Partnership, a collaboration between Upjohn and the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, held a virtual Advisory Board in July 2020 with multiple stakeholders; healthcare professionals (HCPs), policymakers, researchers, patient and informal carer advocacy groups, patient empowerment organizations, and industry experts.

Risk prediction tools in cardiovascular disease prevention: A report from the ESC Prevention of CVD Programme led by the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) in collaboration with the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) and the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP).

Risk assessment and risk prediction have become essential in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Even though risk prediction tools are recommended in the European guidelines, they are not adequately implemented in clinical practice. Risk prediction tools are meant to estimate prognosis in an unbiased and reliable way and to provide objective information on outcome probabilities.

Risk prediction tools in cardiovascular disease prevention: A report from the ESC Prevention of CVD Programme led by the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) in collaboration with the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) and the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP).

Risk assessment have become essential in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Even though risk prediction tools are recommended in the European guidelines, they are not adequately implemented in clinical practice. Risk prediction tools are meant to estimate prognosis in an unbiased and reliable way and to provide objective information on outcome probabilities.

Risk prediction tools in cardiovascular disease prevention: A report from the ESC Prevention of CVD Programme led by the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) in collaboration with the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) and the Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP).

Risk assessment and risk prediction have become essential in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Even though risk prediction tools are recommended in the European guidelines, they are not adequately implemented in clinical practice. Risk prediction tools are meant to estimate prognosis in an unbiased and reliable way and to provide objective information on outcome probabilities.

Vital Signs: Predicted Heart Age and Racial Disparities in Heart Age Among U.S. Adults at the State Level.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Heart age (the predicted age of a person's vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk factor profile) and its comparison with chronological age represent a new way to express risk for developing cardiovascular disease. This study estimates heart age and differences between heart age and chronological age (excess heart age) and examines racial, sociodemographic, and regional disparities in heart age among U.

Web-based self-assessment health tools: who are the users and what is the impact of missing input information?

Background: Web-based health applications, such as self-assessment tools, can aid in the early detection and prevention of diseases. However, there are concerns as to whether such tools actually reach users with elevated disease risk (where prevention efforts are still viable), and whether inaccurate or missing information on risk factors may lead to incorrect evaluations.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate (1) evaluate whether a Web-based cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk communication tool (Heart Age tool) was reaching users at risk of developing CVD, (2) the impact of awareness of total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) values on the risk estimates, and (3) the key predictors of awareness and reporting of physiological risk factors.

Feelings and intervention judgments as mediators in the risk perception-intention relationship.

Objectives: To explore the mediating role of measures of persuasion in the relationship between risk perceptions and intentions.

Methods: The first study included 413 obese subjects (mean age = 45.3 years); the second study, 781 overweight subjects (mean age = 46.

Exploring the question-behaviour effect: randomized controlled trial of motivational and question-behaviour interventions.

Purpose: Measuring intentions and other cognitions to perform a behaviour can promote performance of that behaviour (the question-behaviour effect, QBE). It has been suggested that this effect may be amplified for individuals motivated to perform the behaviour. The present research tested the efficacy of combining a motivational intervention (providing personal risk information) with measuring intentions and other cognitions in a fully crossed 2 × 2 design with an objective measure of behaviour in an at-risk population using a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Exploratory study of web-based planning and mobile text reminders in an overweight population.

Background: Forming specific health plans can help translate good intentions into action. Mobile text reminders can further enhance the effects of planning on behavior.

Objective: Our aim was to explore the combined impact of a Web-based, fully automated planning tool and mobile text reminders on intention to change saturated fat intake, self-reported saturated fat intake, and portion size changes over 4 weeks.

Moderators of the mediated effect of intentions, planning, and saturated-fat intake in obese individuals.

Objective: The present study aimed to advance our understanding of health-related theory, that is, the alleged intention-behavior gap in an obese population. It examined the mediating effects of planning on the intention-behavior relationship and the moderated mediation effects of age, self-efficacy and intentions within this relationship.

Method: The study was conducted over a five-week period.

Web-based risk communication and planning in an obese population: exploratory study.

Background: A healthy diet, low in saturated fat and high in fiber, is a popular medical recommendation in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). One approach to motivating healthier eating is to raise individuals' awareness of their CVD risk and then help them form specific plans to change.

Objectives: The aim was to explore the combined impact of a Web-based CVD risk message and a fully automated planning tool on risk perceptions, intentions, and saturated fat intake changes over 4 weeks.

Evaluation of a cardiovascular disease risk assessment tool for the promotion of healthier lifestyles.

Background: Although percentage risk formats are commonly used to convey cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, people find it difficult to understand these representations.

Aims: To compare the impact of providing a CVD risk message in either a traditional format (% risk) or using an analogy of risk (Heart-Age) on participants' risk perceptions and intention to make lifestyle changes.

Methods: Four hundred and thirteen men and women were randomly allocated to one of two conditions; CVD risk as a percentage or as a Heart-Age score (a cardiovascular risk adjusted age).

Trajectories of entering the metabolic syndrome: the framingham heart study.

Background: We evaluated the progression of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components, the trajectories followed by individuals entering MetS, and the manner in which different trajectories predict cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Methods And Results: Using data from 3078 participants from the Framingham Offspring Study (a cohort study) who attended examinations 4 (1987), 5 (1991), and 6 (1995), we evaluated the progression of MetS and its components. MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Rates and determinants of uptake and use of an internet physical activity and weight management program in office and manufacturing work sites in England: cohort study.

Background: Internet-based physical activity (PA) and weight management programs have the potential to improve employees' health in large occupational health settings. To be successful, the program must engage a wide range of employees, especially those at risk of weight gain or ill health.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the use and nonuse (user attrition) of a Web-based and monitoring device-based PA and weight management program in a range of employees and to determine if engagement with the program was related to the employees' baseline characteristics or measured outcomes.

Age and ability affect practice gains in longitudinal studies of cognitive change.

During a 20-year longitudinal study, 5,842 participants aged 49 to 93 years significantly improved over two to four successive experiences of the Heim AH4-1 intelligence test (first published in 1970), even with between-test intervals of 4 years and longer. After we considered significant attrition by death and dropout and the effects of gender, socioeconomic advantage, and recruitment cohort, we found that participants with high intelligence test scores showed greater improvement than did those with lower intelligence test scores. Practice gains also reduced with age, even after we took into consideration the individual differences in intelligence test scores.

Sudden declines in intelligence in old age predict death and dropout from longitudinal studies.

It is well known that approaching death accelerates cognitive decline. The converse issue, that is, the question of whether rapid declines in cognitive ability are risk factors for imminent death, has not been investigated. Every 4 years between 1983 and 2003, we gave 1,414 healthy community residents who were aged between 49 and 93 years the Heim AH4-1 test of fluid intelligence.

Using hypothetical data to assess the effect of numerical format and context on the perception of coronary heart disease risk.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that responses to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk estimates are heightened by use of ratio formats, peer group risk information, and long time frames.

Design: Cross-sectional, experimental, between-factors design.

Setting: Three regions in England.

General cardiovascular risk profile for use in primary care: the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Separate multivariable risk algorithms are commonly used to assess risk of specific atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, ie, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure. The present report presents a single multivariable risk function that predicts risk of developing all CVD and of its constituents.

Methods And Results: We used Cox proportional-hazards regression to evaluate the risk of developing a first CVD event in 8491 Framingham study participants (mean age, 49 years; 4522 women) who attended a routine examination between 30 and 74 years of age and were free of CVD.

Lifetime risk for developing dyslipidemia: the Framingham Offspring Study.

Background: High serum low-density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are major vascular risk factors. National surveys indicate that 40% of individuals in the United States have borderline-high LDL cholesterol, and 13-34% have low HDL. The lifetime risk of developing dyslipidemia is unknown, however.

Metabonomic studies on the physiological effects of acute and chronic psychological stress in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The biochemical effects of acute and chronic psychological stress have been investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats using a combination of 1H NMR spectral analysis of plasma and conventional hematological analyses. Animals were subjected to 35 consecutive days of 6-h sessions of stress, and following a 9 day break, were stressed for a further 6-h period. Plasma samples were collected at 0, 1, 3, and 6 h on days 1, 9, 21, 35, and 44, measured using 600 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy, and analyzed by Principal Components Analysis.