CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF GLOBAL RISK OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE

 

INFORMED CLINICAL JUDGEMENT OF A PATIENT'S RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IS NECESSARY FOR:

• prognosis
• selecting appropriate target levels for treatment of hyperlipidaemia
• choosing suitable treatment

SOURCES OF HIGH CARDIOVASCULAR RISK:

• presence of coronary or peripheral vascular disease
  • if coronary or peripheral vascular disease is present, correction of risk factors has a large potential to reduce the risk of future coronary events. Vigorous treatment is justified
• presence, severity and number of risk factors
  • risk increases steeply when multiple risk factors are present, and is influenced by their severity

RISK FACTORS FOR CORONARY HEART DISEASE:

Modifiable risk factors

• plasma lipids and lipoproteins
• hypertension
• cigarette smokings
• diabetes
• obesity
• high fibrinogen

Other determinants of risk

• family history of coronary disease
• age
• sex

EACH RISK FACTOR SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AND TREATED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PATIENT’S OVERALL GLOBAL RISK

Back to top of this page

CARDIOnet^® - registered trade mark name.

Copyright © 1996-2004 by CARDIOnet^®. All rights reserved.