There is uncertainty whether current strategies for providing CVD risk scores  affect CVD events .
Providing CVD risk scores may slightly reduce CVD risk factor levels and may increase preventive medication prescribing in higher-risk people without evidence of harm .
BACKGROUND The current paradigm for cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) emphasises absolute risk assessment to guide treatment decisions in primary prevention .
Although the derivation and validation of multivariable risk assessment tools , or CVD risk scores , have attracted considerable attention , their effect on clinical outcomes is uncertain .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of evaluating and providing CVD risk scores in adults without prevalent CVD on cardiovascular outcomes , risk factor levels , preventive medication prescribing , and health behaviours .
Effect of an Educational Program (PEGASE) on Cardiovascular Risk in Hypercholesterolaemic Patients
Background Many studies have demonstrated a gap between guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) and their implementation in clinical practice . Aim The PEGASE education program has been devised with an aim to improve the management of patients at high risk of CVD . Methods In a multicentre study carried out from 2001–2004 in France , 96 participating physicians were r and omized into a “ trained ”  group , which included 398 “ educated ” patients , and a  “ non-trained ” group  , which included 242 “ non-educated ” patients . Educated patients received six hospital-based educational sessions , four collective and two individual .  Framingham score , smoking , lipid levels , glycaemia , blood pressure , dietary intake and drug compliance , as well as quality of life , were evaluated at baseline ( M0 ) and 6 months ( M6 ) . The primary endpoint of the study was the efficacy of the PEGASE program in reducing global CVD risk in high-risk patients . Results The Framingham score was calculated for 473 patients .  The Framingham score improved significantly at M6 vs M0 in the educated group ( 13.0 ± 8.21 vs 13.6 ± 8.48 , d = −0.658 , p = 0.016 ) , but not in the non-educated group ( 12.5 ± 8.19 vs 12.4 ± 7.81 , d = + 0.064 , p = 0.836 ) ; the mean change between the two groups did not reach significance . Quality of life , LDL-c level and diet scores improved in the “ educated ” group only . Conclusions The PEGASE education program  improved risk factors for CVD , although global assessment by Framingham score was not significantly different between groups . This program , aim ed at meeting needs and expectations of patients and physicians , was easily implemented in all hospital centres
There is uncertainty whether current strategies for providing CVD risk scores  affect CVD events .
Providing CVD risk scores may slightly reduce CVD risk factor levels and may increase preventive medication prescribing in higher-risk people without evidence of harm .
BACKGROUND The current paradigm for cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) emphasises absolute risk assessment to guide treatment decisions in primary prevention .
Although the derivation and validation of multivariable risk assessment tools , or CVD risk scores , have attracted considerable attention , their effect on clinical outcomes is uncertain .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of evaluating and providing CVD risk scores in adults without prevalent CVD on cardiovascular outcomes , risk factor levels , preventive medication prescribing , and health behaviours .