Groningen – Feedback of health outcomes to participants in the long-term health study Lifelines contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases of participants. This is evident from a study by the UMCG and UMC Utrecht among 50,000 Lifelines participants. The measurements taken during the study showed that more than 2,000 participants have a high risk of cardiovascular disease. On the advice of their general practitioner, they now use preventive medication as blood pressure reducers.
Risk factors in the picture
During the visit to Lifelines, it is determined for each participant whether he or she has risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Newly identified risk factors are fed back to both the participant and his GP. After this feedback, the researchers saw an increase in the use of antihypertensive medication among the participants with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.
This contributes to the health of the participants and is therefore very positive, says doctor and researcher Yldau van der Ende: “A large number of Lifelines participants with a high risk of cardiovascular disease were previously not prescribed any blood pressure or cholesterol lowering medication. while according to the guidelines this should. People may not be aware of having risk factors; through the ‘screening’ through their Lifelines participation, these are now coming to light. By treating risk factors, this is likely to reduce the number of people who actually develop cardiovascular disease. This will require further research ”.
A wealth of data
Lifelines contributes to the goal of helping people age healthier in the future. In 2006, Lifelines therefore started collecting data from more than 167,000 participants from the Northern Netherlands: a wealth of data. At the start of Lifelines in 2006, the expectation was that participants could become aware of risk factors or health damage of which they were not aware. By detecting these at a very early stage, these participants can be treated earlier. Obviously, this works preventively for more serious health damage. Since 2019, Lifelines participants have been invited for the third time to donate body materials (such as blood and urine) and to complete questionnaires. With this data, researchers can then set to work to contribute to a healthier aging.
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