Current frailty knowledge, awareness, and practices among physicians following the 2022 European consensus document on Frailty in Cardiology.

Aims: Aging-related cardiovascular disease and frailty burdens are anticipated to rise with global aging. In response to directions from major cardiovascular societies, we investigated frailty knowledge, awareness, and practices among cardiologists as key stakeholders in this emerging paradigm a year after the European Frailty in Cardiology consensus document was published. Methods and results: We launched a prospective multinational web-based survey via social networks to broad cardiology communities representing multiple World Health Organization regions, including Western Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. Overall, 578 respondents [38.2% female; ages 35-49 years (55.2%) and 50-64 years (34.4%)] across subspecialties, including interventionists (43.3%), general cardiologists (30.6%), and heart failure specialists (HFSs) (10.9%), were surveyed. Nearly half had read the consensus document (38.9%). Non-interventionists had better perceived knowledge of frailty assessment instruments (fully or vaguely aware, 57.2% vs. 45%, adj. P = 0.0002), exercise programmes (well aware, 12.9% vs. 6.0%, adj. P = 0.001), and engaged more in multidisciplinary team care (frequently or occasionally, 52.6% vs. 41%, adj. P = 0.002) than interventionists. Heart failure specialists more often addressed pre-procedural frailty (frequently or occasionally, 43.5% vs. 28.2%, P = 0.004) and polypharmacy (frequently or occasionally, 85.5% vs. 71%, adj. P = 0.014) and had consistently better composite knowledge (39.3% vs. 21.6%, adj. P = 0.001) and practice responses (21% vs. 11.1%, adj. P = 0.018) than non-HFSs. Respondents with better knowledge responses also had better frailty practices (40.3% vs. 3.6%, adj. P < 0.001). Conclusion: Distinct response differences suggest that future strategies strengthening frailty principles should address practices peculiar to subspecialties, such as pre-procedural frailty strategies for interventionists and rehabilitation interventions for HFSs.

Trends and predictions of metabolic risk factors for acute myocardial infarction: findings from a multiethnic nationwide cohort.

Background: Understanding the trajectories of metabolic risk factors for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is necessary for healthcare policymaking. We estimated future projections of the incidence of metabolic diseases in a multi-ethnic population with AMI. Methods: The incidence and mortality contributed by metabolic risk factors in the population with AMI (diabetes mellitus [T2DM], hypertension, hyperlipidemia, overweight/obesity, active/previous smokers) were projected up to year 2050, using linear and Poisson regression models based on the Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry from 2007 to 2018. Forecast analysis was stratified based on age, sex and ethnicity. Findings: From 2025 to 2050, the incidence of AMI is predicted to rise by 194.4% from 482 to 1418 per 100,000 population. The largest percentage increase in metabolic risk factors within the population with AMI is projected to be overweight/obesity (880.0% increase), followed by hypertension (248.7% increase), T2DM (215.7% increase), hyperlipidemia (205.0% increase), and active/previous smoking (164.8% increase). The number of AMI-related deaths is expected to increase by 294.7% in individuals with overweight/obesity, while mortality is predicted to decrease by 11.7% in hyperlipidemia, 29.9% in hypertension, 32.7% in T2DM and 49.6% in active/previous smokers, from 2025 to 2050. Compared with Chinese individuals, Indian and Malay individuals bear a disproportionate burden of overweight/obesity incidence and AMI-related mortality. Interpretation: The incidence of AMI is projected to continue rising in the coming decades. Overweight/obesity will emerge as fastest-growing metabolic risk factor and the leading risk factor for AMI-related mortality. Funding: This research was supported by the NUHS Seed Fund (NUHSRO/2022/058/RO5+6/Seed-Mar/03) and National Medical Research Council Research Training Fellowship (MOH-001131). The SMIR is a national, ministry-funded registry run by the National Registry of Diseases Office and funded by the Ministry of Health, Singapore.

Patterns of motivators and barriers to heart health behaviors among adults with behavior-modifiable cardiovascular risk factors: A population-based survey in Singapore.

OBJECTIVES: Motivators and barriers are pivotal factors in the adoption of health behaviors. This study aims to identify patterns of the motivators and barriers influencing heart health behaviors among multi-ethnic Asian adults with behavior-modifiable risk factors for heart disease, namely obesity, physical inactivity and smoking. METHODS: A population-based survey of 1,000 participants was conducted in Singapore. Participants were assessed for behavior-modifiable risk factors and asked about motivators and barriers to heart health behaviors. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to identify factors underlying motivator and barrier question items. Logistic regression was conducted to examine the associations of motivator and barrier factors with sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: The twenty-five motivator and barrier items were classified into three (outcome expectations, external cues and significant others including family and friends) and four (external circumstances, limited self-efficacy and competence, lack of perceived susceptibility, benefits and intentions and perceived lack of physical capability) factors respectively. Among participants with behavior-modifiable risk factors, those with lower education were more likely to be low in motivation factor of "outcome expectations" and "external cues". The well-educated were more likely to be high in the barrier factor of "lack of perceived susceptibility, benefits and intention" and were less likely to have the motivation factor of "significant others (family or friends)". Those aged 60-75 years had low motivations and high barriers compared to their younger counterparts. Older age was more likely to be low in motivation factor of "outcome expectations" and "external cues" and high in barrier factor of "limited self-efficacy and competence" and "perceived lack of physical capability". CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the importance of a targeted intervention and communication strategy addressing specific motivation and barrier factors in different population segments with modifiable risk factors.

Public perceptions and knowledge of cholesterol management in a multi-ethnic Asian population: A population-based survey.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Hyperlipidemia is one of the important modifiable risk factors for CVDs. Raising public awareness of CVD risks is an important step in reducing CVD burdens. In this study, we aimed to assess public awareness and knowledge of cholesterol and its management in a multiethnic Asian population. METHODS: We recruited 1000 participants from three major ethnic groups for this nationwide population-based survey. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographics, knowledge of cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering medications. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with good knowledge on cholesterol and its management. RESULTS: Of the participants, 65% thought that high cholesterol produces symptoms and that lifestyle modification would be as effective as medication at lowering cholesterol. Nearly 70% believed that long term statin could lead to kidney or liver damage, and 56% thought that statin was associated with higher risk of cancer. A third saw herbal medicine or supplements as healthier and safer. About 45% believed that statin therapy should not be taken long term and that one could stop taking cholesterol medication when cholesterol is under control. Malays were more likely to have poor knowledge (adjusted OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.47-0.98; P = 0.039) compared to Chinese. Participants with intermediate education were more likely to have good knowledge of cholesterol and its management (adjusted OR 1.67; 95% CI 1.11-2.51; P = 0.013) compared to those with primary education. CONCLUSION: Public knowledge and awareness of high cholesterol and its management remains poor in Asian multi-ethnic population. Understanding gaps in public knowledge can inform the implementation of health promotion programs to effectively raise awareness of cholesterol and its management.

Adding Coronary Calcium Score to Exercise Treadmill Test: An Alternative to Refine Coronary Artery Disease Risk Stratification in Patients with Intermediate Risk Chest Pain.

Introduction: Chest pain is a common symptom for cardiology referrals. The ACC-AHA guidelines recommend exercise stress electrocardiography (TMX) as the initial diagnostic test. However, the TMX only has moderate sensitivity and non-diagnostic cases may require further stress imaging studies. In this study we aimed to look at the feasibility of combining coronary artery calcium (CAC) score with TMX to refine risk stratification. This may be an alternative to stress imaging in cases of non low-risk TMX, with the added advantage of short time turnaround time and low radiation dose. Methods: A total of 145 patients who presented consecutively to the National Heart Centre Singapore with chest pain were included in this study. These were intermediate risk patients with an average Duke Clinical Score of 38.8%. All patients underwent both TMX and computed tomography scan of the coronary arteries (CTCA) which also includes CAC. The primary outcome was defined as obstructive coronary artery disease i.e. >50% left main artery stenosis and/or >70% stenosis in other epicardial arteries. Results: The combination of TMX and CAC was comparable to stress imaging in detecting obstructive coronary artery disease. When added to TMX, CAC has an integrated discriminative improvement of 74.1%, achieved an area under the curve of 0.974 and adjusted R2 of 0.670 in detecting the primary outcome. Conclusion: The strategy of combining TMX and CAC is feasible in clinical practice to refine risk stratification in outpatients with intermediate risk chest pain. The calcium score readout also further guides therapy for primary prevention. Highlights: Treadmill exercise is one of the first line tests for cardiac chest pain work up.Non diagnostic test treadmill results requires further adjunctive tests.Downstream stress imaging causes delay in time to diagnosis.Coronary artery calcium scoring needs minimal preparation with fast turnaround time.Addition of coronary artery calcium to treadmill performs comparably to stress imaging.This is a feasible alternative to risk stratify non diagnostic treadmill tests and guide therapy for primary prevention.