This large cross-sectional observational study was designed to evaluate the uptake and outcome of information given to patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

This project, funded and implemented by the Swedish Heart and Lung Association in collaboration with Mid Sweden University (Department of Psychology), Linneaus University, Uppsala University, Swedish PCI Center, and Falu Hospital, consists of a  questionnaire comprising questions concerning patients interpretation of given information about possible causes influencing their disease. Twenty-nine Swedish randomly selected hospitals performing PCI took part, reaching an estimated 1800 patients.

The main results show for example that, unfortunately, the majority believes that they are in good health but cannot prevail over the disease because it is inherited, caused by age and stress. A majority thus attributed the cause of the disease to non-modifiable factors, i.e. age and heredity. Merely one in four patients had perceived the information in a correct way: they still carried the coronary disease and needed to adapt their lifestyle.

Based on such findings, a general conclusion is that Swedish cardiac care needs to look at how patients are being informed. It is facing a big, new, and for heart patients, considerable challenge.