Enhanced Accuracy of Cardiovascular Risk Assessment through New Study Findings

Recent research conducted by Sutter Health and Stanford University has demonstrated that the American Heart Association's PREVENT equations provide reliable predictions for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk across diverse Asian and Hispanic populations. The study analyzed over 361,000 primary care patients aged 30 to 79 years from Sutter Health’s extensive network in Northern California, spanning urban, suburban, and rural communities, from January 2010 to September 2023.

The researchers evaluated the performance of these risk prediction models over an average follow-up period of 8.1 years, during which approximately 6.3% of participants experienced a CVD event. The results showed high predictive accuracy for total CVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and heart failure across different ethnic subgroups, with only modest variations observed.

The study highlighted that the PREVENT models performed well across various Asian and Hispanic subpopulations, although some differences in the accuracy for ASCVD and heart failure were noted. This indicates the potential for these tools to be more effectively tailored to diverse patient groups, contributing to better risk stratification and personalized care.

Therefore, as the U.S. population ages and the burden of heart disease continues to grow, accurate risk prediction models like PREVENT are vital for guiding preventative strategies. Dr. Xiaowei Yan from Sutter Health emphasized that these findings could inform improved clinical practices, especially for communities historically underrepresented in CVD research. However, the study also acknowledged limitations, such as the inability to fully analyze all Asian and Hispanic subgroups and small sample sizes for some groups.

Looking ahead, future research may focus on establishing clear treatment thresholds based on PREVENT risk estimates to enhance clinical decision-making. Overall, this study underscores the importance of inclusive, precise cardiovascular risk assessment to advance health outcomes for all populations.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-hone-precision-proven-cardiovascular-disease.html