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 .
Effects of a brief cardiovascular prevention program by a health advisor in primary care; the 'Hartslag Limburg' project, a cluster randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE To determine in primary care patients at high risk for a cardiovascular event  , the effects on biomedical risk factors for and incidence of cardiovascular events , of a brief cardiovascular prevention program executed by a health advisor . METHOD DESIGN cluster r and omized controlled trial with 1275 patients ( 24 general practice s ) in and around Maastricht , the Netherl and s ( 1999 - 2004 ) . INTERVENTION health advisors were to complete computerized cardiovascular risk profiles , provide multi-factorial tailored health education and advice , and communicate with GP 's to optimize treatment . OUTCOME differences in changes in risk factors between baseline and follow up at 6 , 18 , and 36 months and incidence of cardiovascular events at 36 months . RESULTS PROCESS Because of logistic reasons risk profiles were put on paper instead of in the computerized patient files . On average patients attended 2.3 counseling sessions . Interaction with GPs was less productive than expected . OUTCOME Effect after six months on BMI ( -0.20 kg/m(2 ) ( 95 % CI -0.38 to -0.01 , p=0.039 ) , Cohen 's d : -0.18 ) , and after 18 months on HDL-cholesterol ( + 0.05 mmol/l ( 95 % CI + 0.01 to + 0.09 , p=0.014 ) , Cohen 's d : 0.14 ) . No other ( subgroup ) effects were found . CONCLUSION Given the lack of clinical ly meaningful effects , implementation of this intervention in its present form is not justified
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 .