Knowledge, preventive action, and barriers to cardiovascular disease prevention by race and ethnicity in women: an American Heart Association national survey.

Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and risk factors are well documented, but few data have evaluated population differences in CVD knowledge, preventive action, and barriers to prevention.

Methods: A nationally representative sample of 1008 women (17% Hispanic, 22% black, 61% white/other) selected through random digit dialing were given a standardized questionnaire about knowledge of healthy risk factor levels, recent preventive actions, and barriers to prevention. Analysis focused on predictors of knowledge and preventive action in the past year and proportion reporting select barriers to prevention.

Fibromyalgia relapse evaluation and efficacy for durability of meaningful relief (FREEDOM): a 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with pregabalin.

This was a multicenter, double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled, randomized discontinuation trial to evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin monotherapy for durability of effect on fibromyalgia (FM) pain. The trial included a 6-week open-label (OL) pregabalin-treatment period followed by 26-week DB treatment with placebo or pregabalin. Adults with FM and 40-mm score on 100-mm pain visual analog scale (VAS) were eligible.

Quality of cardiovascular disease preventive care and physician/practice characteristics.

Background: Quality of cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive care is suboptimal. Recent data correlated increasing years in practice for physicians with lower-quality health care.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess physician awareness/adherence to national blood pressure, cholesterol, and CVD prevention guidelines for women according to physician/practice characteristics.

National study of women's awareness, preventive action, and barriers to cardiovascular health.

Background: There is growing awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the leading cause of death in women, but whether this greater awareness is associated with increased action by women to lower their personal or family's risk is unknown.

Methods And Results: A nationally representative sample of 1008 women selected through random-digit dialing were given a standardized questionnaire about history of CVD/risk factors, awareness of leading cause of death, knowledge of healthy and personal levels of CVD risk factors, self-reported actions taken to reduce risk, and barriers to heart health. The rate of awareness of CVD as the leading cause of death has nearly doubled since 1997 (55% versus 30%) was significantly greater for whites compared with blacks and Hispanics (62% versus 38% and 34%, respectively) and was independently correlated with increased physical activity (odds ratio, 1.

National study of physician awareness and adherence to cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines.

Background: Few data have evaluated physician adherence to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines according to physician specialty or patient characteristics, particularly gender.

Methods And Results: An online study of 500 randomly selected physicians (300 primary care physicians, 100 obstetricians/gynecologists, and 100 cardiologists) used a standardized questionnaire to assess awareness of, adoption of, and barriers to national CVD prevention guidelines by specialty. An experimental case study design tested physician accuracy and determinants of CVD risk level assignment and application of guidelines among high-, intermediate-, or low-risk patients.