Episode 533: MJA Podcasts 2023 Episode 27: New cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk guidelines and calculator, with Professor Garry Jennings and Professor Mark Nelson
Oct 8, 2023
auto_awesome
Professors Garry Jennings and Mark Nelson discuss the new cardiovascular disease risk guidelines and calculator, emphasizing factors like age, treatment, mental health, ethnicity, social deprivation, and health equity. They explore the updated percentile ranges and improved accuracy in CVD risk assessment. The podcast delves into the steps of risk assessment, effective risk communication, management strategies, and the importance of data integration and education for guideline implementation.
New CVD risk guidelines include additional factors like ethnicity and diabetes, offering flexible risk assessment options.
The algorithm prioritizes health equity by integrating ethnicity and social deprivation measures, ensuring accurate risk evaluation for Australians.
Deep dives
Key Changes in the New Cardiovascular Disease Guidelines
The latest cardiovascular disease guidelines provide a comprehensive update based on the most recent evidence, covering individuals aged 45 to 79 and considering additional factors like diabetes and ethnicity. The guidelines introduce a new flexible calculator that includes various variables beyond traditional risk factors. Notably, the classification of low, intermediate, and high risk percentages has been adjusted based on reduced rates of cardiovascular disease in the community.
Enhancements in the Predict One Algorithm
The updated algorithm aims to improve health equity by integrating established cardiovascular disease risk factors with considerations like ethnicity and social deprivation measures. By utilizing global cardiovascular events as outcomes and ensuring population representation, the Predict One algorithm offers accuracy and recalibration capabilities for Australian risk factors and incidents. Notably, the algorithm excludes Maori data to tailor results specifically to the Australian population.
Five Steps of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment
The risk assessment process involves identifying eligible individuals based on age and health conditions, utilizing a comprehensive calculator with classic and optional variables, and incorporating reclassification factors such as ethnicity, family history, and mental illness. After determining risk categories with updated percentile ranges, physicians aim to communicate risk effectively to patients, emphasizing lifestyle modifications and personalized management recommendations based on individual risk levels.
Today we are discussing the new cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk guidelines and calculator.
My special guests are Professor Garry Jennings AO, the Chief Medical Advisor of the Heart Foundation, and Professor Mark Nelson, chair of the Discipline of General Practice at University of Tasmania.