Estimation of cardiovascular risk with SCORE-2 and evaluation of cardiovascular disease risk factor knowledge level in adult patients who applied to the Family Medicine outpatient clinics of Ankara university

Aim: The aim of this study is to calculate the cardiovascular disease risk with the SCORE-2 risk estimation model and to determine the knowledge level of cardiovascular diseases in apparently healthy people between the ages of 40-69 who applied to Ankara University School of Medicine Family Medicine out patient clinics with any complaint. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive study and was conducted on apparently healthy individuals who applied to Ankara University School of Medicine Family out patient clinics between 16.08.2022 and 03.01.2023. Inclusion criteria for the study; being between 40-69 years old, absence of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease, not being pregnant and having fasting blood glucose and lipid profile measured in the previous year. Data were collected by applying a questionnaire about the sociodemographic characteristics and medical information of the people included in the study. The Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors Knowledge (CARRF- KL) Scale was used to determine the level of knowledge about cardiovascular risk factors. The Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation-2 (SCORE-2) risk estimation model was used to assess cardiovascular risk. While collecting data to make a risk estimation, the height, weight and waist circumference of the individuals were measured, and blood pressure was obtained after resting for at least 5 minutes. In order to reach non-HDL cholesterol and other lipid parameters, the values measured in the last 1 year in our hospital were used after the necessary permissions were obtained. Results: A total of 196 patients, 136 (69,4%) female and 60 (30,6%) male, were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 49,44 (±6,20). Considering the risk levels of the patients, according to SCORE-2 risk categories; It was found that 112 (57,2%) patients were low-intermediate risk, 73 (37,2%) patients were high risk, and 11 (5,6%) patients were very high risk. With SCORE-2, age (p<0,001), gender (p<0,001), education level (p=0,023), employment status (p=0,010), hypothyroidism (p=0,018), smoking (p<0,001), menopause (p=0,028), blood pressure (p<0,001), lipid values (total cholesterol:p=0,014, HDL cholesterol: p<0,001, non-HDL cholesterol: p<0,001, LDL cholesterol: p=0,002, Triglyceride: p<0,001) and waist circumference (p=0,010) were found to be in a significant relationship. It was determined that the lowest score obtained from the CARRF-KL scale was 11, the highest was 27, and the average of the scores obtained was 22,17 (±3,36). There was no statistically significant difference between the SCORE-2 risk levels of the patients and the CARRF-KL scale scores. Conclusions: More than half of our patients are low-to-moderate risk, but the total number of high-risk categories is close to low-intermediate risk. The average level of knowledge of our patients was found to be high. In order to transform this level of knowledge into awareness, it is important to assess the risk appropriately in our patients and to communicate the risk effectively to the patient. In order to determine and treat risk factors in our patients with various risk levels, and especially in those in the high risk category, it is necessary to consider interventions at the individual level and to establish an effective communication in this regard. Key Words: CVD risk factors, CVD risk assessment, SCORE-2 risk estimation, CARRF-KL scale