Volume 3, Number 1, January-February-March 2010

An international perspective on cardiovascular risk management: recommendations for moderate- to low-risk patients
JI Stewart, E Washbrook, A Tonkin

Assessment of risk factors allows physicians to determine an individual’s cardiovascular risk. The tools used to estimate risk are derived from prospective cohort studies and take into account the intensity of the range of important risk factors. ‘Highrisk’ patients are generally defined as those whose 10-year risk of a coronary event is ≥20%, and include all individuals with established cardiovascular disease. Individuals at lower risk are classified as ‘moderate- to low-risk’, eg, 10-year risk <20% (Table 1). Although such individuals are asymptomatic, they are important targets for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly as the first clinical manifestation of coronary heart disease may be fatal. This article provides a concise guide to the management of moderate- to low-risk patients, based on recommendations from some of the most up-to-date clinical practice guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease (Box 1).

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