Cardio-oncology & otherCross-sectional study
The underutilization of preventive cardiovascular measures in patients with cancer: an analysis of the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2011–22
- Cross-sectional study
- multivariable logistic regression
- average marginal effects
Authors' conclusion
Preventive pharmacological agents are underutilized in those with cancer and concomitant CVD, and physical activity is underutilized in patients with cancer in those with or without CVD.
Study context
- Population
- Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey respondents, with and without cardiovascular disease (CVD) (coronary disease or stroke), 2011–22579,114 with CVD
- Participants
- 5,012,721 respondents
- Exposure
- Cancer vs no cancer
- Cancern = 842,221
- Outcome
- Use of preventive CV measures: pharmacological therapies, physical activity, smoking cessation, post-CVD rehabilitation (AME = average difference in probability of use, cancer vs no cancer)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Use of pharmacological therapies, patients with CVD
Average marginal effects (AME), %
- BP-lowering medications
- −1.46 (95% CI −2.19% to −0.73%)
- lipid-lowering medications
- −2.34 (95% CI −4.03% to −0.66%)
- aspirin
- −6.05 (95% CI −8.88% to −3.23%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Pharmacological therapies, patients without CVD
- No statistically significant differences between patients with and without cancer
Physical activity (overall cohort) and post-CVD rehabilitation
- Cancer associated with significantly lower likelihood of physical activity and of post-CVD rehabilitation, particularly post-stroke rehabilitation
Original publication
The underutilization of preventive cardiovascular measures in patients with cancer: an analysis of the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2011–22. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 9 May 2023. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwad146
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it