Abstract 060: Association of Body Mass Index With Risk Factor Optimization and Guideline Directed Medical Therapy in Veterans With Cardiovascular Disease

Background: Obesity is an epidemic in the United States and has been linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including atherosclerosis, heart failure and hypertension. However, obesity has been associated with better survival once CVD is established and has been referred to as the “obesity paradox”. Medical management and risk factor optimization are recommended for patients with all forms of CVD. The association of body mass index (BMI) with performance measure compliance is not known. Methods: In a large national cohort, we identified 1,242,015 patients with CVD receiving care in 130 Veterans Affairs facilities between 10/1/2013 and 9/30/2014. CVD was defined as the presence of ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, or ischemic cerebrovascular disease. We assessed the frequency of compliance with performance measures in patients divided into 5 groups: underweight (BMI <18.5 Kg/m2), normal BMI (18.5-24.9 Kg/m2), overweight (25-29.9 Kg/m2), obese (30-39.9 Kg/m2), and extreme...