Key principles of a modern integrated preventive cardiology programme2
| Principle | Aim |
| Inclusive preventive care | Should target all individuals at risk for new or recurrent CVD. Integrated across the continuum of care from CR and secondary care centres and general practices. |
| Equity of access | To promote higher rates of participation and adherence by having the service in the communities where people live and work. This aids in reducing inequalities. |
| Family-centred programme | Presents an opportunity to reach first-degree relatives of people with premature CVD. Family members share the same lifestyle risk factors, and positive changes will be more long -lasting when the whole family is involved. |
| Nurse-led multidisciplinary programme | Nurse-led/coordinated programmes have been shown to be effective in CVD risk reduction. |
| The programme should be provided without specialised hospital facilities. | This is to ensure easy replication of programme activities at home to enable individuals sustain the physical activity recommendation to increase their physical fitness. In addition, it ensures that this model can be applied in any setting enhancing the scalability. |
| Address total CVD risk | In keeping with current CVD prevention guidelines, the total absolute CVD risk of an individual is taken into consideration not just single risk factors. |