Adding up fatal heart risks

The new system could help doctors identify at risk patients

A new scoring system to predict a patient's risk of dying from cardiovascular disease has been developed.

French scientists have come up with a scoring system which looks at 11 risk factors before predicting how likely someone is to die.

The risk factors include age, sex, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol levels and whether a person smokes or suffers from diabetes.

Every point a patient gains increases their risk, with age, sex and cigarette smoking the strongest predictors.

It can help doctors give an indication of an individual's relative risk of coronary heart disease

Belinda Linden, of the British Heart Foundation

Risk factors

For example a 66-year-old male smoker gains 38 points instantly, other factors such as his height, blood pressure rate; heart attack history and cholesterol levels could send his risk score soaring to 61 points.

This would make his risk of a cardiovascular death in five years 17%.

But the scientists from the Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Lyon, said the patient could then use the information to lower his risks - cutting out smoking, having his blood pressure monitored and taking lipid lowering drugs.

The scientists came up with their scores after studying information from eight large trials of anti-hypertensive drugs, involving more than 47,000 men and women across Europe and North America.

And they said that although other scoring methods already exist for assessing risk, their test was particularly useful as it assesses an individual's overall risk.

Helping patients

The authors said: "The risk score is an objective aid to assessing an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and coronary heart disease.

"It is useful for physicians when determining an individual's need for anti-hypertensive treatment and other management strategies for cardiovascular risk."

Belinda Linden, of the British Heart Foundation said: "This research provides useful results, and can help doctors give an indication of an individual's relative risk of coronary heart disease.

"Although various methods have been devised to assess the extent to which patients are at risk, it is vital that all individuals take responsibility for their health by making important lifestyle changes.

"Anyone can reduce their risk of developing coronary heart disease by stopping smoking, eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, eating less salt, and taking 30 minutes of exercise at least five times a week."