Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factor level awareness in coronary patients and to assess its associations with health-related quality of life (HRQoL)/psychological distress.
Methods: Data on 8,743 coronary patients from 22 European countries, interviewed and examined at least 6 months after their acute event was available.
Results: 81.7% of patients indicated to be aware of their own blood pressure level, whereas only 46.6% of patients indicated to be aware of their cholesterol level. Furthermore, 43.7% of patients were aware of their blood glucose level, whereas in diabetes patients blood glucose level awareness reached 81.8%. Risk factor level awareness was significantly associated with HRQoL/psychological distress, with patients being unaware of their risk factor levels having worse outcomes. The relationship between awareness and HRQoL/psychological distress seemed to be partly mediated by the attempt of patients to adopt a healthier behaviour.
Conclusions: Health care workers should be encouraged to inform their patients about the importance of their coronary risk factors, the actual level and their personal target.