The influence of partners on successful lifestyle modification in patients with coronary artery disease

Background: Marital status is associated with prognosis in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).However, the influence of partners on successful modification of lifestyle-related risk factors (LRFs) in secondaryCVD prevention is unclear. Therefore, we studied the association between the presence of a partner,partner participation in lifestyle interventions and LRF modification in patients with coronary arterydisease (CAD). Methods: In a secondary analysis of the RESPONSE-2 trial (n=711),which compared nurse-coordinated referralto community-based lifestyle programs (smoking cessation, weight reduction and/or physical activity) to usualcare in patients with CAD, we investigated the association between the presence of a partner and the level ofpartner participation on improvement in >1 LRF (urinary cotinine