American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines: Numbers-Needed-to-Treat (NNTs) for Statin Treatment in Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

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American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines: Numbers-Needed-to-Treat (NNTs) for Statin Treatment in Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Following publication of the November 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline [1], concern was expressed that, in the area of primary prevention for CVD, the 10 year guideline estimates of risk were overestimated [2]. Furthermore, the ACC/AHA criteria could result in more than 45 million middle-aged Americans without cardiovascular disease being recommended for consideration of statin therapy.

While the amount of risk overestimation is still being debated, Alper and Drabkin of DynaMed, have created very nice decision-support based on their evaluation of the most current and reliable systematic reviews available for estimating the effects of statins in individuals with various 10 year risks [3].

The risk estimates below will prove quite useful for individual decision-making providing the NNTs over 5 years for the use of statins by individual risk. More detailed information regarding the evidence of statins in preventing CVD events on is available on the DynaMed website [4].

For a person with an estimated 7.5% 10-year risk, the 5-year NNT was 108 for CVD events, 186 for MI, and 606 for stroke. At 15% 10-year risk, 5-year NNTs were 54 for CVD events, 94 for MI, 204 for stroke, and 334 for overall mortality. At 20% 10-year risk, 5-year NNTs were 40 for CVD events, 70 for MI, 228 for stroke, and 250 for overall mortality.

References
1. Stone NJ, Robinson J, Lichtenstein AH et al. 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in adults: a report of the American of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013. [Epub ahead of print] [PMID: 24239923]

2. Ridker PM, Cook NR. Statins: new American guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Lancet. 2013 Nov 30;382(9907):1762-5. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62388-0. Epub 2013 Nov 20. PubMed PMID: 24268611.

3. Click on the Comments Tab here: http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1817258

4. Search “statins” at the link below:”
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs132/1102736301344/

archive/1116074054121.html

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Delfini Treatment Messaging Scripts™ Update

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 Messaging Scripts ™ Update

Delfini Messaging Scripts  are scripts for scripts. Years ago we were asked by a consultancy pharmacy to come up with a method to create concise evidence-based statements for various therapies.  That’s how we came up with our ideas for Messaging Scripts, which are targeted treatment messaging & decision support tools for specific clinical topics. Since working with that group, we created a template and some sample scripts which have been favorably received wherever we have shown them.  The template is available at the link below, along with several samples.  Samples recently updated: Ace Inhibitors, Alendronate, Sciatica (Low Back Pain), Statins (two scripts) and Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prevention in Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement.

 http://www.delfini.org/page_SamePage_RxMessagingScripts.htm

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