Family history of premature coronary heart disease and risk prediction

M. A. Nadir, A. D. Struthers
2011 Heart  
Although the self-reported family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) was an independent risk factor for future CHD events in this study, the addition of family history of CHD to Framingham Risk Score failed to improve the overall risk prediction of future CHD events. Since age is a heavily weighted risk factor incorporated into the contemporary cardiovascular risk scoring models, these models tend to underestimate the risk in younger patients who are otherwise destined to develop CHD. 2
more » ... ce, it would be important to see the significance of a positive family history of premature CHD in a subgroup of patients who were relatively younger at the time of risk prediction and those who went on to develop CHD at a younger age. It does seem plausible that those who are destined to develop CHD event at a younger age may be better identified by incorporating family history of premature CHD into the risk prediction model. We, therefore, urge the authors to now report reclassification in those subjects who were relatively younger at the time of estimated Framingham Risk Score and among those patients who subsequently developed CHD at a young age.
doi:10.1136/hrt.2011.222265 pmid:21367743 fatcat:ewraldd3wjahtbrv47dtopxcbq