New Heart Risk Calculator Could Reduce Statin Usage by Almost Half

Earlier this year, the American Heart Association (AHA) unveiled a new risk calculator that could significantly reduce the number of patients who qualify for and are prescribed statin medications like Crestor, Lipitor and Zocor. Statins are used regularly to guard against high levels of LDL cholesterol, one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease. AHA’s new PREVENT tool takes a different approach to assessing a patients’ 10-year risk of heart disease, looking at factors like obesity and kidney disease as well as broader measures of health to encourage earlier strategies to help reduce cardiovascular problems.

The current guidelines for evaluating risk of heart disease are based on AHA and American College of Cardiology guidelines from 2013, and only account for a patient’s age, blood pressure, if they have diabetes, and a few other factors. Compared to older risk calculator models, PREVENT also takes into account gender, hemoglobin A1c, and age. It evaluates risk factors starting at age 30, which is 10 years earlier than previous risk calculators, making early detection and prevention more accessible while reducing the number of statins prescribed.

It is important to note that PREVENT no longer includes race into the calculation, but instead includes a person’s zip code, which serves as a better indicator of socioeconomic status. It also doesn’t capture family history, so this important risk factor must be discussed with your healthcare provider who can help determine if starting a statin or continuing to take a statin is necessary.

This new tool will likely also drive updates to the guidelines for prescribing statins. These revised guidelines have yet to be set, however findings reported in JAMA Internal Medicine this year suggest that 40% fewer people would meet the criteria for prescription statin medication.