Objective:

To evaluate knowledge about cardiovascular risk factors in outpatients treated in a cardiovascular prevention program from a Primary Care hospital, and to examine its relationship with the cardiovascular risk and sociodemographic variables.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge that cardiovascular risk patients have about risk factors or cardiovascular disease, with a diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, or diabetes mellitus, through a validated questionnaire of 10 questions. Cardiovascular risk using the Framingham method calibrated for Colombia was calculated. The chi squared test was used to compare ratios and the Student t test for means.

Results:

The study included 138 patients with mean age of 62.8 (SD 12.6), 23.9% male, 97.8% with personal history of hypertension, 29.7% with dyslipidaemia, 15.9% with diabetes and 0.7% with cardiovascular disease. Knowledge was assessed as appropriate in 60 (43.5%) patients. The cardiovascular risk was assessed as low, moderate, and high in 47.8%, 19.6% and 32.6% of patients, respectively. A statistically significant association was found between knowledge and medium and high educational level (p=.013) and the practice of physical activity on a regular basis (p=.045).

Conclusions:

Only 43% of patients have adequate knowledge of risk factors and cardiovascular disease. Adequate knowledge is associated with a higher level of education and regular physical activity. The association between knowledge and low cardiovascular risk was not statistically significant.

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