Cardiovascular disease prevention and management of pre-existent cardiovascular disease in a cohort of prostate cancer survivors

Purpose Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a common cause of mortality among men with prostate cancer. However, receipt of preventive care and management of pre-existent CVD has not been well studied in prostate cancer survivors. Methods This study examined a prospective cohort of men newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer between 2011 and 2013 throughout North Carolina linked to Medicare and private insurance claims and clinical data from the Veterans Affairs (VA). In patients without pre-existent CVD, the primary outcome was a composite measure of annual preventive care (blood glucose screening, cholesterol level testing, and ≥ 1 primary care provider visit). In patients with pre-existent CVD, the primary outcome was annual cardiologist visit; blood glucose, cholesterol level testing, and primary care visits were also assessed. Results Our sample comprised 492 patients successfully linked to insurance claims and/or VA data, among whom 103 (20.9%) had pre-existent CVD. Receipt of preventive care declined from 52.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.7 to 57.6%) during the first year after prostate cancer diagnosis to 40.8% (95% CI: 33.7 to 48.4%) during the third year. Among patients with pre-existent CVD, only 23.4% (95% CI: 13.6 to 37.2%) visited a cardiologist in all 3 years. Black men were more likely than White men to visit a cardiologist the first year (risk ratio [RR] = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.71). Conclusion In a population-based cohort of prostate cancer survivors, receipt of CVD preventive care declined over time, and frequency of cardiologist-led management of pre-existent CVD was low. Implications for Cancer Survivors There is a need to improve clinical strategies for reducing cardiovascular risk and managing pre-existent CVD in prostate cancer survivors.