Perception of health and understanding of cardiovascular risk among patients with recently diagnosed diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome.

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) disease mortality is increased in diabetes mellitus (DM) and metabolic syndrome (MS), conditions which share CV risk factors.Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess understanding of CV risk by patients with DM and/or MS diagnosed less than 1 year before and seen in primary care. Perception by these patients of their health state is also analysed.Design: A multicentre, observational study in subjects diagnosed with DM diagnosed less than 1 year before and/or with MS, in whom agreement between CV risk perceived by patients and assessed by physicians was analysed.Methods: Medical registry data and a survey of health status and perceived risk by patients and physicians. Agreement of patient perception of CV risk with perception of the physician in charge and with the CV risk established with clinical registry data was assessed. Self-perceived health status was also studied.Results: A total of 150 physicians recruited 681 patients (71.5% with DM and 28.5% with MS) aged 60.8...