Quality standard

Quality statement 5: Review of cardiovascular disease risk factors

Quality statement

People with hypertension are offered a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease annually.

Rationale

People's blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk will increase over time. A review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease delivered as part of an annual review of care should support identification of increased risk and provide an opportunity to address modifiable risk factors.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to ensure people with hypertension are offered a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease annually.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.

Process

Proportion of people who have had hypertension for 12 months or longer who have had a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease within the past 12 months.

Numerator – the number of people in the denominator who have had a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease within the past 12 months.

Denominator – the number of people who have had hypertension for 12 months or longer who do not have established cardiovascular disease.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records. NHS Quality and Outcomes Framework (INLIQ) indicator CVD-PP02 reports the percentage of patients diagnosed with hypertension (diagnosed on or after 1 April 2009) who are given lifestyle advice in the preceding 12 months for: smoking cessation, safe alcohol consumption and healthy diet.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure that systems are in place to offer people with hypertension a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease annually.

Healthcare professionals offer people with hypertension a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease annually.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services that offer people with hypertension a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease annually.

People with hypertension (high blood pressure) are offered a review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease annually.

Source guidance

Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG136 (2019, updated 2023), recommendation 1.4.24

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Annual review of care

An annual review to monitor blood pressure, provide people with support and discuss their lifestyle, symptoms and medication. [NICE's guideline on hypertension in adults, recommendation 1.4.24]

Review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Review of risk factors for cardiovascular disease could include:

  • smoking status

  • alcohol consumption

  • blood pressure

  • body mass index or other measure of obesity

  • full lipid profile

  • diabetes status

  • renal function

  • transaminase level (alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase)

  • thyroid-stimulating hormone in people with symptoms of underactive or overactive thyroid.

[Adapted from NICE's guideline on cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification, recommendation 1.5.5]