Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events: Disparities Between Rich and Poor

With a growing epidemic of cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries, investigators are seeking information about patterns of care and opportunities to improve outcomes. In the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, researchers assessed the use of secondary-prevention drugs by patients with coronary heart disease (CAD) or stroke in 17 countries.

From 2003 through 2009, the investigators enrolled 153,996 adults from 628 communities in three high-income countries (e.g., Canada), seven upper middle-income countries (e.g., South Africa), three lower middle-income countries (e.g., Colombia), and four low-income countries (e.g., Pakistan). In the 7519 participants who reported histories of CAD or stroke, use of seconda…