Academy of Medical Sciences of I.R. Iran Archives of Iranian Medicine 1029-2977 21 3 2018 03 01 Drug Use for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in Golestan, Iran: Results From the Golestan Cohort Study 86 94 EN Mahdi Nalini Sadaf G. Sepanlou Akram Pourshams Hossein Poustchi Maryam Sharafkhah Hossein Bahrami Farin Kamangar Reza Malekzadeh Journal Article 2017 10 24 2017 12 27 Background: Little is known about secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, using cardio-protective drugs, in the community-level, especially in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to assess main drug use and its predictors in Northeast of Iran. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis on the Golestan Cohort Study data (2004–2008) with 50 045 participants. We assessed drug use in those with a history of ischemic heart disease (IHD) or stroke, recorded by face-to-face interviews. We explored drug use predictors (i.e., age, gender, wealth, education, residency, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, hypertension, and diabetes) through multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 3371 (6.7%) participants (56.7 ± 9.0 years, 58.1% female) reported a history of IHD, stroke or both. Median duration since diagnosis was 3.14 years (IQR: 1.25-6.30). Rates of using anti-platelets, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers, and beta-blockers were 28.8% (95% CI: 27.3–30.3), 5.4 (4.7–6.2), 15.7 (14.5–17.0), and 40.6 (38.9–42.3), respectively. About 43% (41 – 45) of patients did not use any protective drugs. Use of ≥ three drugs was only 7.3% (6.6–8.2). Indicators of ≥1 drug use were: older age (OR for ≥60 vs. <50: 1.37), high wealth score (fifth vs first quintile: 1.60), literacy (1.56), city dwelling (1.32), body mass index (<18.5 and ≥30 vs. 25–29: 0.55 and 1.25, respectively), physical activity (third vs. first tertile: 0.64), hypertension (3.47), and diabetes (1.29); (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Drug use after IHD or stroke is low in Northeast of Iran. Comprehensive efforts to promote secondary prevention are urgently needed.