18 Sep Poor Lifestyle Linked to Acute Coronary Syndrome, Even After Event
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Sylvie S.L. Leung Yinko, MSc, RD
Division of Clinical Epidemiology
Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC)
Montreal (QC) and
Louise Pilote, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Medicine McGill University and
Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine
McGill University Health Centre
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Patients with premature acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are a vulnerable population of young or middle-aged adults at risk for future cardiovascular events. However, while health behaviors such as diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and recreational drug use are important lifestyle factors that can influence cardiovascular risk, there is limited information about health behaviors in this population group. Additionally, there is indication in the literature regarding sex and age differences in health behaviors, but whether such differences exist in patients with premature acute coronary syndrome remained to be explored.
Using data from GENESIS-PRAXY (GENdEr and Sex determInantS of Cardiovascular Disease from bench to beyond in PRemature Acute Coronary Syndrome), a large-scale prospective cohort study across Canada, US and Switzerland, we explored the health behavior profile of patients with premature ACS. As well, we examined whether there is a change in health behaviors 1 year post-ACS and assessed sex differences.
Our results showed that the health behavior profile of men and women with premature Acute Coronary Syndrome are worse than that of the general population. We found a high prevalence of poor health behaviors in a young population with only modest changes after Acute Coronary Syndrome. Health behaviors remained suboptimal and worse than the general population, especially with regards to diet, smoking and recreational drug use. Sex differences existed in the prevalence of these behaviors at baseline and 1 year post-ACS but not in the magnitude of change after the ACS event.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Response: Men and women with premature acute coronary syndrome have suboptimal lifestyle behaviors. There are only small and modest improvements after the ACS event. Certain health behaviors, such as dietary habits and smoking, seem harder to improve. There appears to be sex differences with men generally having poorer health behaviors than women. However, the extent to which the health behaviors change appears to depend more the type of behavior itself rather than differ by sex.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Future interventions aiming at improving the health behaviors of patients with premature acute coronary syndrome may require a sex-based approach to ensure successful improvements. As well, it is important to understand the barriers to improved health behaviors in this population.
Citation:
Sex differences in health behavior change after premature acute coronary syndrome
Received: JAHA December 23, 2014; Accepted: April 12, 2015; Published Online: April 18, 2015
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Sylvie S.L. Leung Yinko, MSc, RD; Louise Pilote, MD, MPH, PhD (2015). Poor Lifestyle Linked to Acute Coronary Syndrome, Even After Event
Last Updated on September 18, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD