Patients benefit from getting their risk scores, but only if it's done repeatedly or reinforced with counseling.
Current cardiovascular prevention guidelines strongly recommend that clinicians inform patients of their global risk (i.e., give a quantified estimate based on known risk factors) for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, evidence to support this recommendation is lacking. In a systematic review, investigators identified 20 reports from 18 studies — mostly randomized or cluster-randomized trials — of the effect of informing patients about their global CHD risk on several outcomes, including the accuracy of patients' perception of risk, their intent to start risk-modifying therapy when appropriate, and their changes in global risk over time.
The studies varied in size, design, intervention studied, and outcomes of interest. In four studies f…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardBristol Myers Squibb; CPC Clinical Research
Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; American College of Cardiology Self-Assessment Program (SAP)
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican College of Cardiology (Chair, Innovations Committee)
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardBristol Myers Squibb; CPC Clinical Research
Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; American College of Cardiology Self-Assessment Program (SAP)
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican College of Cardiology (Chair, Innovations Committee)