Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiovascular and diabetic disease are the leading and preventable causes of death worldwide. The currently prognosticated dramatic increase in disease burden over the next two decades, however, bespeaks a low confidence in our prev...

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Main Authors: Krämer Alexander, Kraushaar Lutz E
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-02-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/64
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author Krämer Alexander
Kraushaar Lutz E
author_facet Krämer Alexander
Kraushaar Lutz E
author_sort Krämer Alexander
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiovascular and diabetic disease are the leading and preventable causes of death worldwide. The currently prognosticated dramatic increase in disease burden over the next two decades, however, bespeaks a low confidence in our prevention ability. This conflicts with the almost enthusiastic reporting of study results, which demonstrate substantial risk reductions secondary to simple lifestyle changes.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>There is a case to be made for a disregard of the difference between statistical significance and clinical relevance of the reported data. Nevertheless, lifestyle change remains the main weapon in our battle against the epidemic of cardiometabolic disease. But along the way from risk screening to intervention to maintenance the compound inefficiencies of current primary preventive strategies marginalize their impact.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Unless we dramatically change the ways in which we deploy preventive interventions we will inevitably lose the battle. In this paper we will argue for three provocative strategy changes, namely (a) the disbanding of screening in favor of population-wide enrollment into preventive interventions, (b) the substitution of the current cost utility analysis for a return-on-investment centered appraisal of interventions, and (c) the replacement of standardized programs modeled around acute care by individualized and perpetual interventions.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-409d6c34f12d48389dc627735b031f772022-12-22T02:59:50ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582009-02-01916410.1186/1471-2458-9-64Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary preventionKrämer AlexanderKraushaar Lutz E<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiovascular and diabetic disease are the leading and preventable causes of death worldwide. The currently prognosticated dramatic increase in disease burden over the next two decades, however, bespeaks a low confidence in our prevention ability. This conflicts with the almost enthusiastic reporting of study results, which demonstrate substantial risk reductions secondary to simple lifestyle changes.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>There is a case to be made for a disregard of the difference between statistical significance and clinical relevance of the reported data. Nevertheless, lifestyle change remains the main weapon in our battle against the epidemic of cardiometabolic disease. But along the way from risk screening to intervention to maintenance the compound inefficiencies of current primary preventive strategies marginalize their impact.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Unless we dramatically change the ways in which we deploy preventive interventions we will inevitably lose the battle. In this paper we will argue for three provocative strategy changes, namely (a) the disbanding of screening in favor of population-wide enrollment into preventive interventions, (b) the substitution of the current cost utility analysis for a return-on-investment centered appraisal of interventions, and (c) the replacement of standardized programs modeled around acute care by individualized and perpetual interventions.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/64
spellingShingle Krämer Alexander
Kraushaar Lutz E
Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
BMC Public Health
title Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
title_full Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
title_fullStr Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
title_full_unstemmed Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
title_short Are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease? The case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
title_sort are we losing the battle against cardiometabolic disease the case for a paradigm shift in primary prevention
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/64
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