Peer Reviewed
Case studies
A woman with unexpected and unexplained coronary lesions
Abstract
All well adults over 45 years of age need assessment of absolute risk of cardiovascular disease before statins are prescribed, unless there are other indications to do so.
Key Points
- All well adults over 45 years of age need assessment of absolute risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) before statins are prescribed.
- People at low risk of CVD will require advice only on lifestyle, diet and physical activity.
- A single threshold level of high risk of CVD over five years defined at 15% may not be appropriate in younger patients or in the elderly.
- Patients who manifest premature CVD in the absence of classic risk factors need assessment of novel risk factors, such as lipoprotein(a).
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