What PREVENT can tell you about heart disease risk
We often think about heart disease as something that suddenly happens, like a heart attack, requiring a trip to the emergency room. In reality, cardiovascular disease often develops silently over years or even decades before symptoms appear.
Heart disease often develops silently over many years before symptoms appear, making early detection crucial for prevention. Dr. Sadiya S. Khan, a preventive cardiologist, explains that tools like the American Heart Association's PREVENT calculator can help health professionals estimate a person's risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure even before symptoms develop.
PREVENT, which stands for Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs, uses equations based on data from over 6.5 million U.S. adults to estimate an individual's likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease over the next 10 or 30 years. The equations consider various factors, including traditional risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, as well as CKM (cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic) health factors.
Unlike previous tools that only assessed risk over 10 years, PREVENT provides a 30-year risk estimate for younger adults. This long-term perspective is important because small elevations in blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar can accumulate over time and increase long-term cardiovascular risk. Khan emphasizes that while a low 10-year risk estimate may seem reassuring, it doesn't tell the whole story, as early intervention can significantly reduce the risk of serious health problems later in life.
For adults aged 35, it's essential to start thinking about long-term cardiovascular health, even if the immediate risk seems low. PREVENT equations are just the beginning of the conversation with a healthcare professional. They should discuss personalized strategies to lower risk, such as exercise, diet changes, or medication, and monitor progress using measurable markers like cholesterol and blood pressure.
Khan emphasizes that understanding one's cardiovascular risk today can empower people to make informed decisions and take proactive steps to protect their health for decades to come.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
