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Absolute CVD risk charts

Absolute Risk charts provide a visual tool to calculate CVD risk for use in practice in Australia.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is largely preventable, with modifiable CVD risk factors accounting for up to 90% of the risk of myocardial infarction1. Absolute CVD risk assessment is an integrated approach that brings together the cumulative risk of multiple cardiovascular risk factors to estimate the combined risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke in the next five years.

The online Absolute CVD Risk Calculator is routinely used to estimate Absolute CVD risk. This assessment looks at the cumulative and multiple risk factors.   

What are Absolute CVD Risk Charts?  

The Absolute CVD risk charts provide a visual tool to calculate CVD risk in the form of printable colour charts to use in clinical practice. The risk charts are based on the National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance’s Guidelines for the assessment and management of CVD risk.

How are the Risk Charts used?  

Step 1. Find the relevant chart  

Healthcare professionals can locate the chart that relates to the person’s:
  • Sex 
  • Diabetes status 
  • Smoking history  
  • Age.   
 
The charts should be used for all adults 45 years and over and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island adults aged 35-74 years with no known history of CVD and not already clinically determined as high risk.  

Step 2. Choose the nearest cell  

Find the nearest cell to the person’s age, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol:HDL cholesterol ratio.  

Step 3. Discover the individual’s CVD risk  

The most applicable cell will outline the individual’s five-year CVD risk level.  
Reference

1 Lancet. 2004 Sep 11-17;364(9438):937-52

Download the charts

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