Physicians from 20 hospitals or health centres (primary and secondary health care settings) were trained to implement guidelines in treating metabolic syndrome.
There will be a baseline recording of patients with metabolic syndrome and then physicians will have to complete a one page form (by ticking pre-specified boxes) about the baseline status of the patients and will have to report the measures they took to improve awareness, treatment, and effective control of the metabolic syndrome. With 6 month intervals (up to 36 months at study completion) physicians will have to complete the same form. Previous training of physicians and the fact that they will have to report their success in treating metabolic syndrome will hopefully contribute to an increase in number of patients with the syndrome at treatment targets, and will minimise the target organ damage (i.e cardiovascular disease). The estimated 10-year reduction in coronary heart disease risk will be evaluated by a comparison of this risk (as evaluated by a risk engine, i.e. PROCAM) at the 6th month and at study completion with that of baseline.
