Table 3

Differences in practice patterns of family physicians and general internist respondents in managing CVD* risk


Family Physicians
(N = 562)
General Internists
(N = 326)
p-value

Antiplatelet therapy for prevention of myocardial infarction in a 45-year-old
asymptomatic woman with one BP reading of 145/90 mm Hg, BMI 28 kg/m2,
LDL 125 mg/dL, HDL 55 mg/dL, TG 200 mg/dL, and normal glucose

Aspirin 100 mg every other day
0.9%
0.9%
< 0.01
Aspirin 81 mg daily
65.6%
54.3%

Aspirin 325 mg daily
4.8%
5.8%

Clopidogrel 75 mg daily
0.9%
2.5%

No antiplatelet therapy**
27.8%
36.5%


Dyslipidemia pharmacotherapy recommendation for a 45-year-old
asymptomatic woman with one BP reading of 145/90 mm Hg, BMI 28 kg/m2,
LDL 125 mg/dL, HDL 55 mg/dL, TG 200 mg/dL, and normal glucose

Atorvastatin 10 mg every evening
42.4%
41.0%
0.84
Ezetimide 10 mg daily
2.5%
4.3%

Niacin 500 mg twice daily
3.9%
3.7%

No specific therapy for dyslipidemia**
51.2%
50.9%


Dietary recommendation (avoiding fat) for a 45-year-old asymptomatic woman
with one BP reading of 145/90 mm Hg, BMI 28 kg/m2, LDL 125 mg/dL, HDL 55
mg/dL, TG 200 mg/dL, and normal glucose

Trans fatty acids**
62.5%
61.8%
0.91
Polyunsaturated fats
9.6%
9.2%

Mono-unsaturated fats
3.2%
5.8%

No specific fat as long as it
does not exceed 30% of
total intake
24.6%
23.1%


LDL Goal for a 50-year-old asymptomatic man, negative family history of
premature CHD, BP 170/94 mm Hg, BMI 26 kg/m2, total cholesterol 210 mg/dL,
LDL 130 mg/dL, HDL 36 mg/dL, TG 256 mg/dl, Fasting glucose 140 mg/dL, and
normal exercise stress test

LDL < 130 mg/dl
11.8%
12.3%
0.36
LDL < 100 mg/dl**
59.0%
56.0%

LDL < 70 mg/dl
29.2%
31.7%


Hypertension and dyslipidemia management for a new asymptomatic 78-year-
old female patient with questionable history of diabetes, BP 159/78 mm Hg, BMI
29 kg/m2, LDL 199 mg/dL, TG 479 mg/dL, and HbA1c of 6.0%

Lifestyle and dietary
modification
6.8%
8.0%
0.11
Lifestyle and dietary
modification and treatment with
a thiazide diuretic
6.6%
5.2%

Lifestyle modification and
treatment with a statin
14.9%
10.2%

Lifestyle and dietary
modification and treatment with
both a thiazide diuretic and a
statin**
71.7%
76.5%


Approach to stress testing for a new asymptomatic 78-year-old female patient
with questionable history of diabetes, BP 159/78 mm Hg, BMI 29 kg/m2, LDL
199 mg/dL, TG 479 mg/dL, and HbA1c of 6.0%

I would order one as a
follow up to today's visit
39.6%
33.0%
0.88
I would order one today
and yearly thereafter
5.6%
10.5%

I would order a test if she
develops symptoms of chest
pain, shortness of breath or
atypical angina**
48.1%
48.8%

I would not order a stress test
on this elderly woman
6.7%
7.7%


*CVD, cardiovascular disease, CHD, coronary heart disease

**Evidence-based guideline choice. T-test was performed comparing the two groups and their responses to the evidence-based guideline choice.

Doroodchi et al. BMC Family Practice 2008 9:42   doi:10.1186/1471-2296-9-42