For the first time in a decade, the American Heart Association (AHA) has updated a model that predicts someone’s risk of developing heart disease, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine published in Circulation, the group’s flagship journal. did.
Update called PREVENTTM (Events that predict cardiovascular disease risk), predict someone’s risk Cardiovascular disease (CVD) Corresponding study author Sadiya Khan, Ph.D., said, “A healthier, younger, and race-neutral approach reflects the need to prioritize health equity when addressing CVD prediction and prevention. ” he said.
“The new PREVENT risk calculator tool allows clinicians to quantify a person’s CVD risk and may help people receive preventive care and treatment earlier to reduce their CVD risk,” Mager said. said Kahn, the Stadt Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and associate professor of medicine (cardiology). He received his degree in Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology) from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and is a preventive cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine.
Khan is also the chair of the AHA’s Scientific Statement Development Group. She plans to present the findings today at her AHA’s annual Scientific Sessions event in Philadelphia.
1 in 3 people Adults in the United States are reported to have three or more risk factors for CVD, kidney disease, and metabolic disorders. ah. New equations help incorporate cardiovascular-renal-metabolic syndrome (CKM) into CVD prevention.
The new model can predict the risk of heart disease starting 10 years younger than before (now 30 years old) and estimates the risk of heart disease overall, including heart attack and stroke, as well as new heart failure. It also includes a measure of kidney health. The kidneys have recently been recognized as an important risk factor for heart disease that can be managed and treated to improve health outcomes.
“We needed a new heart disease risk calculator, especially one that included measurements of CKM syndrome, a new construct defined by the AHA that is highly prevalent in the United States,” said Kahn. I did.
A racially neutral approach to risk prediction
Risk calculators use health, demographic, and/or socio-economic information in an equation to calculate a risk estimate or score. Equations are developed by scientists based on information from national databases, extensive research studies, and electronic medical records.
The new equation removes race from risk prediction, which the study authors said is a necessary step forward. A person’s race should not influence a patient’s diagnosis and subsequent treatment of her CVD. The decision follows in the footsteps of other national health associations, including the National Kidney Foundation, which has removed race from its clinical algorithms.
Finally, the equation widens the usable age range from 30 to 79 years (previously 40 to 79 years), allowing physicians to cover a larger portion of the adult lifespan. , said Mr. Khan.
A lot has changed in 10 years
The last CVD risk calculator, the Pooled Cohort Equation, was released in 2013. “However, much has changed in the past decade, including the availability of new treatments for CKM diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease,” Khan said.
This calculator was developed using health information from more than 6 million adults, including people from a variety of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds. PREVENT has the option to include social factors if possible.
The CKM Health construct and PREVENT risk calculator are proposed as a pathway to more holistic patient care to incorporate holistic patient care. CVD risk Also includes heart failure It also provides guidance on the use of new medicines that have been shown to be effective in reducing risk. related to obesity, Khan said he has diabetes and kidney disease.
It is hoped that these factors will be considered and incorporated into future guideline updates.