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 .
Incorporating a Genetic Risk Score Into Coronary Heart Disease Risk Estimates: Effect on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels (the MI-GENES Clinical Trial)
Background — Whether knowledge of genetic risk for coronary heart disease ( CHD ) affects health-related outcomes is unknown . We investigated whether incorporating a genetic risk score ( GRS ) in CHD risk estimates lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) levels . Methods and Results — Participants ( n=203 , 45–65 years of age , at intermediate risk for CHD , and not on statins ) were r and omly assigned to receive their 10-year probability of CHD based either on a conventional risk score ( CRS ) or CRS + GRS ( + GRS ) . Participants in the + GRS group were stratified as having high or average/low GRS . Risk was disclosed by a genetic counselor followed by shared decision making regarding statin therapy with a physician . We compared the primary end point of LDL-C levels at 6 months and assessed whether any differences were attributable to changes in dietary fat intake , physical activity levels , or statin use . Participants ( mean age , 59.4±5 years ; 48 % men ; mean 10-year CHD risk , 8.5±4.1 % ) were allocated to receive either CRS ( n=100 ) or + GRS ( n=103 ) . At the end of the study period , the + GRS group had a lower LDL-C than the CRS group ( 96.5±32.7 versus 105.9±33.3 mg/dL ; P=0.04 ) . Participants with high GRS had lower LDL-C levels ( 92.3±32.9 mg/dL ) than CRS participants ( P=0.02 ) but not participants with low GRS ( 100.9±32.2 mg/dL ; P=0.18 ) . Statins  were initiated more often in the + GRS group than in the CRS group ( 39 % versus 22 % , P<0.01 ) . No significant differences in dietary fat intake and physical activity levels were noted . Conclusions — Disclosure of CHD risk estimates that incorporated genetic risk information led to lower LDL-C levels than disclosure of CHD risk based on conventional risk factors alone . Clinical Trial Registration — URL : http://www . clinical trials.gov . Unique identifier : NCT01936675
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 .