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Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with hypertension (HTN) being the most prevalent risk factor. Cardiovascular risk (CVR) stratification using Systematic Coronary Risk Estimation 2 (SCORE2) is currently recommended. The objective was to increase the proportion of patients with HTN undergoing CVR assessment using SCORE2.
Methods: A quality improvement study conducted in a Family Health Unit. Patients aged 40–69 years with uncomplicated HTN were included. Data were collected before the intervention (T0) and at 3 (T1) and 7 months (T2) following an educational intervention aimed at promoting the use of SCORE2 among the medical team.
Results: A total of 304 patients were included; 150 (49.3%) were male, with a median age of 59 years (interquartile range 52–64). Among patients with documented CVR assessment, the use of SCORE2 increased from 3.9% at T0 to 69.6% at T1, and from 6,6% to 47.4% at T2 (p<0.001). A significant reclassification to higher CVR categories was observed following implementation of the tool.
Conclusion: The intervention significantly increased the use of SCORE2 and led to reclassification to higher risk levels. The reduction in utilization at T2 highlights the need for structural integration of the tool into clinical information systems to ensure sustainability.