Researchers from New York University's Grossman School of Medicine have demonstrated that the American Heart Association's PREVENT risk calculator can effectively estimate 10-year cardiovascular disease risk by correlating risk scores with coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed electronic health records of nearly 7,000 adults aged 30-79 years who underwent heart disease screening. The PREVENT calculator considers multiple factors including age, blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, diabetes status, social determinants of health, smoking, and kidney function to estimate future cardiovascular risks.
Key findings revealed that PREVENT scores directly correlated with CAC scores. Participants with low-to-mild risk scores were associated with minimal calcium buildup, while those with moderate-to-high risk scores matched participants with significant arterial calcium accumulation. When researchers combined PREVENT scores with CAC scores, their ability to predict heart attack risk improved significantly.
Dr. Morgan Grams, the study's corresponding author, emphasized the importance of these findings in tailoring patient care. By more accurately predicting heart attack risk, healthcare providers can make more informed decisions about preventive treatments, such as prescribing cholesterol-lowering medications.
The research highlights the potential of integrated risk assessment tools in identifying subclinical cardiovascular disease before symptoms develop. However, researchers acknowledged study limitations, including the predominantly white participant pool and short follow-up period, which may restrict broader generalizability.
As cardiovascular disease remains a leading global health concern, tools like PREVENT represent a significant advancement in proactive healthcare, offering individuals and medical professionals more precise insights into potential heart health risks.
