In the February 14 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from Boston published results they obtained in using a new system for classifying cardiovascular risk in women. They found that a new method - called the Reynolds Risk Score - proved more accurate in classifying risk than classic, commonly recommended predictive models.
Typically, cardiovascular risk models use a number of risk factors to predict an individual's overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and then classify that risk as being either high, low or intermediate. ( Read about this typical method of risk factor evaluation here.) In recent years, however, it has become apparent that these classic models may not apply as accurately in women as in men. For instance, standard risk models fail to classify up to 20% of women who go on to have heart attakcs as being at high risk. Furthermore, it is now felt that the presence of C-reactive protein (CRP) may be a stronger risk factor in women than in men. The Reynolds Risk Score gives more weight to CRP levels and family history than standard risk models.
In this new report, researchers compared the effectiveness of risk models by using the huge database provided by the Women's Health Study. They found that the Reynolds Risk Score accurately classified the actual risk of many more women than did the usual predictive models. In fact, 40 - 50% of women who normally would be classified as having intermediate risk were reclassified by the Reynolds Score as either low or high risk - thus potentially allowing a much more targeted approach to risk factor management.
The Reynolds Risk Score can be found on-line here. It asks 6 simple questions, and immediately returns a 10-year risk score. It also allows women to see readily how their risk would be improved if they changed one or more of these risk factors.
Sources:
1) Ridker P, Buring J, Rifai N, et al. Development and validation of improved algorithms for the assessment of global cardiovascular risk in women. JAMA 2007; 297: 611-619.
2) The Reynolds Risk score: http://www.reynoldsriskscore.org(accessed 2/15/2007).
