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 .
Sustaining cardiovascular absolute risk management in Australian general practice.
This study describes the attitudes and practice s of patients and GPs 12 months after participating in a trial of absolute cardiovascular risk assessment in general practice . It involved a qualitative design using semistructured interviews with 12 Sydney GPs from the intervention arm of a cluster r and omised controlled trial of cardiovascular absolute risk ( CVAR ) assessment and 15 of their moderate to high risk patients who participated in the assessment s. Most GPs had sustained CVAR assessment in their practice , using it primarily to motivate patients to change their behaviour and adhere to management rather than to make decisions about pharmacotherapy or referral . Time was a barrier to its use . Patients who sustained changes to their behaviour had internalised the benefits to their health and received support from family and friends . Those who relapsed attributed this to their own lack of motivation and extrinsic factors . CVAR assessment needs to be incorporated into practice information systems and long-term planned preventive care if it is to be sustained in general practice and have long-term impacts on patient behaviour
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 .