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 a Computer-Guided, Quality Improvement Program for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Management in Primary Health Care: The Treatment of Cardiovascular Risk Using Electronic Decision Support Cluster-Randomized Trial
Background — Despite effective treatments to reduce cardiovascular disease risk , their translation into practice is limited . Methods and Results — Using a parallel arm cluster-r and omized controlled trial in 60 Australian primary healthcare centers , we tested whether a multifaceted quality improvement intervention comprising computerized decision support , audit/feedback tools , and staff training improved ( 1 ) guideline -indicated risk factor measurements and ( 2 ) guideline -indicated medications for those at high cardiovascular disease risk . Centers had to use a compatible software system , and eligible patients were regular attendees ( Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isl and er people aged ≥35 years and others aged ≥45 years ) . Patient-level analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering . Median follow-up for 38 725 patients ( mean age , 61.0 years ; 42 % men ) was 17.5 months . Mean monthly staff support was < 1 hour/site . For the co primary outcomes , the intervention was associated with improved overall risk factor measurements ( 62.8 % versus 53.4 % risk ratio ; 1.25 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.04–1.50 ; P=0.02 ) , but there was no significant differences in recommended prescriptions for the high-risk cohort ( n=10 308 ; 56.8 % versus 51.2 % ; P=0.12 ) . There were significant treatment escalations ( new prescriptions or increased numbers of medicines ) for antiplatelet ( 4.3 % versus 2.7 % ; P=0.01 ) , and BP lowering ( 18.2 % versus 11.0 % ; P=0.02 ) but not lipid-lowering medications . Conclusions — In Australian primary healthcare setting s , a computer-guided quality improvement intervention , requiring minimal support , improved cardiovascular disease risk measurement but did not increase prescription rates in the high-risk group . Computerized quality improvement tools offer an important , albeit partial , solution to improving primary healthcare system capacity for cardiovascular disease risk management . Clinical Trial Registration — URL : https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/ Registration /Trial Review .aspx?id=336630 . Australian New Zeal and Clinical Trials Registry No. 12611000478910
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 .