What is the Best Cardiovascular Risk Score in Our Daily Practice?

Preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) involves lifestyle modifications, risk factor management at the individual level (identifying high-risk patients and setting targets to reduce CVD risk), and public health strategies at the population level (targeting the overall population and aiming to minimize the risk throughout the entire population). The intervention, with a slight reduction in overall CVD risk, is unexceptionally significant but difficult to achieve. Both strategies must be combined to reduce the burden of CVDs. Moreover, it is essential to consider that younger patients are often classified as low risk in most risk-prediction models. However, the future lifetime risk of CVD is much greater in younger patients with multiple risk factors than in older patients.

Population-level prevention is implemented through broad strategies, such as policy and community interventions, to reduce risk factor prevalence, including tobacco control through bans and taxes, salt/trans fat reduction in foods, the promotion of physical activity via urban planning, and mass media campaigns for healthy eating and alcohol moderation. Community settings, such as faith-based organizations, schools, workplaces, and social services, deliver evidence-based programs (e.g., nutrition education, activity policies), using multilevel strategies, including training implementers, audits, incentives, and partnerships for equity.

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