Treatments
Cardiovascular risk management
Overall risk:
In the prevention of cardiovascular disease, a patient’s cardiovascular risk is derived from a combination of risk factors, including cholesterol levels. Whilst LDL-C level is an important factor, total cardiovascular risk assessment remains a cornerstone for guiding patient management.1
Patients that have the highest level of risk benefit the most from preventative efforts, the aims of which are twofold:1
- To reduce morbidity and mortality in those at high risk
- To maintain the low risk status of others
The scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that cardiovascular risk can be reduced by controlling the level of cholesterol in plasma. Studies have shown that for every 1 mmol/L reduction in LDL-C achieved, there is a 23% relative risk reduction in the 5-year incidence of major coronary events.2 The benefits of cholesterol lowering lipid therapy, however, are dependent on a patient’s individual level of risk.1
References:
1. Fourth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and other societies on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehab 2007; 14: E1-E40.
2. Cholesterol Treatment Collaborators (CTT), Lancet 2005; 366: 1267-1278.