DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sasjm.2026.v12i07.003

Pages: 716-721

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, making early identification and modification of cardiovascular risk factors a priority in primary care. During routine clinical practice, patients with isolated elevations in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol, despite normal total cholesterol levels, were identified as a potential group at risk of being overlooked for comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment. This quality improvement study evaluated whether a targeted educational intervention could improve clinician recognition and interpretation of these lipid abnormalities and increase the appropriate use of QRISK3 as part of cardiovascular risk assessment. A retrospective audit was undertaken in an NHS general practice in England. Baseline practice and clinician knowledge were assessed through retrospective record review and an anonymous questionnaire completed by six clinicians. Following a structured educational session and practical decision-support crib sheets, an identical re-audit was undertaken one year later. Following the intervention, documented QRISK3 assessment improved from 5.6% to 88%, while clinicians reported greater confidence in interpreting complete lipid profiles. The findings suggest that a simple educational intervention can improve clinician adherence to cardiovascular risk assessment within routine primary care in cardiovascular risk assessment and may help reduce missed opportunities for primary prevention in primary care.