New calculator determines likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease

Editor's Note

For the first time, researchers have designed a calculator that estimates a person’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the next 30 years. The news was announced in a statement from the American Heart Association in the journal Circulation on November 10.

• 1 in 3 U.S. adults has three or more risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and/or metabolic disorders. These underlying risk factors in turn raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and/or heart failure.
• The American Heart Association PREVENT (Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs) risk calculator incorporates cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic or CKM syndrome into CVD prevention. 
• CKM syndrome was first defined in October 2023 and captures the interconnected features of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and metabolic disease (Type 2 diabetes and obesity).
• The PREVENT calculator also breaks down risks for CVD for each biological sex and there is an option to include social factors if available.

With new understanding about CKM and how it pertains to CVD risk, experts say a new calculator was needed and will help increase awareness of health status and risk with health professionals and patients.