Table 1 Criteria for participation in the CVRM program ^a

● A 10 year cardiovascular mortality risk > 5%, based on the SCORE table from the 2006 CVRM guidelines of the Dutch Society of General Practice [6]

● Prescription of blood pressure lowering or lipid modifying drugs in men aged ≥ 55 years and women aged ≥ 60 years

● Systolic blood pressure > 180 mm Hg and/or total cholesterol > 8 mmol/l ever measured, independent of the 10 year mortality risk

● The patient is primarily treated in primary care and aged 18 years or above

Inclusion criteria for patients eligible for secondary prevention:

● Documented previous ischemic or atherosclerotic heart disease (myocardial infarction and angina pectoris), heart failure, atrial fibrillation, aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, peripheral arterial disease, transient ischemic attack, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, chronic kidney disease

● The patient is primarily treated in primary care and aged 18 years or above

Exclusion criteria for both groups were:

● Primarily treated for cardiovascular disease risk by a specialist in a hospital or at an outpatient clinic

● Diabetes mellitus (patients receive cardiovascular risk management in a diabetes care program)

● Patients younger than 18 years