Lifestyle interventions can lead to important improvements in lifestyle-related risk factors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), according to the RESPONSE-2 Trial presented Nov. 14 during AHA 2016.

In a multicenter, randomized clinical trial, Ron Peters, MD, et al., evaluated the effect of referring CAD patients and their partners to one, two or three lifestyle programs targeting weight reduction, improvement of physical activity and smoking cessation. All patients received guideline-based care and had at least one lifestyle related risk factor. Of the 824 patients randomized, 48 percent were smokers, 87 percent had a body mass index of greater than 25 and 62 percent had inadequate levels of physical activity.

The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who improved at least one lifestyle-related risk factor without deterioration in the other two at 12 months. Clinical relevance was defined as a 30 percent relative increase in the proportion of successful patients in the intervention group compared with the control group.

The results of the trial show that referral of CAD patients and their partners to a comprehensive set of lifestyle programs improves lifestyle risk factors significantly more than usual care alone. While 36 percent of the intervention group improved at least one lifestyle-related risk factor, partner participation was associated with a higher rate of success.

The authors conclude that "this strategy can be easily implemented into daily practice to improve secondary prevention of CAD."

Keywords: AHA16, American Heart Association, AHA Annual Scientific Sessions, Coronary Artery Disease, Life Style, Referral and Consultation, Secondary Prevention

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