The authors present a program that was developed to improve the management of inpatients most likely to benefit from therapies to reduce secondary risks. Multiple, disparate patient information systems are used to identify high-risk patients, assess risk factors, initiate appropriate interventions, and communicate this assessment to healthcare providers

Cardiovascular disease is a major health problem throughout the world and a growing health problem in developing nations. Since 1919, it has been the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming a life every 33 seconds.1 The magnitude of, prevalence of, and mortality statistics associated with cardiovascular disease mandate that healthcare systems focus on strategies to prevent risks. Risk status is defined by the absence (primary prevention) or presence (secondary prevention) of atherosclerotic disease. Primary prevention offers the greatest opportunity for reducing the prevalence of disease by addressing risk factors in individuals with no current evidence of cardiovascular disease....

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