The Tromsø Heart Study: family approach to intervention on CHD. Feasibility of risk factor reduction in high-risk persons--project description

Abstract

Intervention on high risk persons for CHD has shown varying results depending on the effectiveness of the intervention. Most studies have concentrated on the high-risk person only. The present study focuses on the high-risk family as an entity. 1,373 high-risk men, 30-55 years, were identified on the basis of high total cholesterol and/or low relative HDL (HDL-cholesterol/tot. cholesterol) in the Tromsø II screening in 1979/80, and randomly allocated to intervention or control group. The 673 men in the intervention group and their families, were offered advice to reduce their risk during two home visits and later by quarterly newsletters. Follow-up blood samples drawn 1.5 years following the home-visit, show a small reduction in total cholesterol and an increase in the ratio of HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol. Both the intervention and control group were invited to the examination in connection with the Tromsø III screening in 1986/87 and are being followed for 10 years on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.