HEART ATTACK RISK -Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating Your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack

Recent guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (2011), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) (2011), the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Foundation (2010), and the American Heart Association (AHA) (2010) advise against exercise electrography in asymptomatic, low-risk individuals.

The AHA compiled data, including information from the Framingham Heart Study, to determine appropriate use of cardiac screening tests by looking at prognostic considerations. Those risk factors include gender and age (males over the age of 45 years) with one or more risk factors. The greater the number of risk factors a patient has, the more likely it is that the patient will benefit from screening. If a patient’s risk is less than 10 percent, screening is not recommended.

The USPSTF reviewed new evidence regarding the reduction of risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) events in asymptomatic adults by screening with electrocardiography (EKG) compared with not screening and issued the following recommendations: The USPSTF recommends against screening with resting or exercise ECG for the prediction of CHD events in asymptomatic adults at low risk for CHD events (D recommendation). (1) The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening with resting or exercise ECG for the prediction of CHD events in asymptomatic adults at intermediate or high risk for CHD events (I statement).

USE THE LINK BELOW TO CALCULATE YOUR RISK and discuss this with your board certified primary care doctor.

This is a really great and practical tool that can help guide your discussions and decisions with your doctor(s).

HEART ATTACK RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL  WEB PAGE