Description of the sample, design and methods of the study for the identification of the Spanish population at cardiovascular and renal risk (IBERICAN)

Background and objective: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in Spain, and although the incidence rates have been declining for years due to improvements in prevention and treatment, there is still room for further reduction. Primary Care has a leading role in the prevention and control of these diseases. Determining the prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in the Spanish adult population attended in Primary Care is the objective of the study to identify the Spanish population at cardiovascular and renal risk (IBERICAN). Material and methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted using a consecutive non-probabilistic sampling population between 18 and 85 years that attended Primary Care centres between April 1, 2014 and October 31, 2018. By reviewing the medical history, laboratory results, and medical visits, the Primary Care physicians collected socio-demographic information, personal and family history of the patients, as well as prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular and renal disease. The incidents and associated factors will be estimated using proportional risk models of Cox and Kaplan-Meier Curves. Results: A total of 8,066 patients have been recruited by 531 Primary Care physicians from all Autonomous Communities of Spain as part of the IBERICAN cohort, with the exception of Ceuta. The mean age of the cohort is 57.9 years with 54.5% women. Obesity, dyslipidaemia, and hypertension are the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. There was a history of CVD in 16.3%, and 25.5% had a subclinical organ lesion. Conclusion: The IBERICAN study is a cohort of people treated in Primary Care that expects to provide relevant information on the factors that determine the incidence of cardiovascular and renal disease in Spain. (C) 2019 Sociedad Espanola de Medicos de Atencion Primaria (SEMERGEN). Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.