ACC/AHA Release Updated Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Tool

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have released an updated tool for the calculation of 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk among high-risk Medicare beneficiaries.

The Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Model was developed to assess a value-based payment approach toward reduction of 10-year risk by implementing preventive strategies and managing of the “ABCS” of cardiovascular disease: aspirin therapy, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation. It is intended for use in a population aged 40 to 79 years and eligible for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and recommended with individualized care decisions for older and younger individuals.
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The tool “builds on the “2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk” by allowing clinicians to estimate baseline and updated 10-year ASCVD risk estimates for primary prevention patients adhering to the appropriate ABCS over time, alone or in combination.”

The article, published in Circulation, includes a user guide with more information on the rationale behind ASCVD prevention, intended target population, and the use of an included spreadsheet.

“This novel approach to personalized estimation of benefits from risk-reducing therapies in primary prevention may help target therapies to those in whom they will provide the greatest benefit,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Lloyd-Jones DM, Huffman MD, Karmali KN, et al. Estimating longitudinal risks and benefits from cardiovascular preventive therapies among Medicare patients: the million hearts longitudinal ASCVD risk assessment tool [published online November 4, 2016]. Circulation. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000467