A new study published in JAMA Cardiology highlights the potential of a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction tool to guide statin therapy decisions. Developed by scientists at Northwestern Medicine, the PREVENT (Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs) risk equations aim to provide more accurate estimates of CVD risk than older models.
According to lead author Dr. Sadiya Khan, the tool could enhance shared decision-making between clinicians and patients by clarifying when the benefits of statins outweigh potential risks. The study builds on previous work establishing PREVENT as part of the American Heart Association’s guidelines in 2023.
Researchers compared PREVENT with the older Pooled Cohort Equations (PCEs) using data from over 5,200 U.S. adults aged 40 to 75, collected between 2011 and 2020. This represented more than 133 million adults nationwide.
Among participants, nearly 28 million were already on statins, while 15 million more were eligible due to high risk factors such as diabetes or elevated cholesterol. Of the remaining population, PREVENT identified 11.8 million additional adults who would benefit from statin therapy.
The analysis suggested that individuals with a 10-year CVD risk of 3–5% are in the “sweet spot” for significant benefit. For these patients, starting statins could yield meaningful reductions in long-term risk.
Dr. Khan emphasized that while not every patient fits neatly into a single guideline, absolute risk estimates remain a powerful tool for guiding treatment. The findings support the idea that PREVENT can make risk communication more precise and encourage adherence to preventive therapies.
Artículo escrito por el equipo de Melissa Rohman
11/09/2025
Source:
Northwester Medicine