Cardiovascular Medication Use and Risk Scores
Author Information
Author(s): Brekke Mette, Straand Jørund
Primary Institution: University of Oslo
Hypothesis
Does present use of cardiovascular medication reflect elevated cardiovascular risk scores estimated ten years ago?
Conclusion
Prescription of cardiovascular medication to middle-aged individuals largely occurs independently of their estimated total cardiovascular risk, especially in women.
Supporting Evidence
- 26% of men and 22% of women aged 51-58 years had started to use some cardiovascular medication during the previous decade.
- 60-65% of men and 25-45% of women with high-risk scores received no treatment.
- Among women using cardiovascular medication, only 2.2% had risk scores above high-risk values.
Takeaway
The study found that many people who started taking heart medication didn't have high enough risk scores to need it, especially women.
Methodology
A longitudinal observational study using data from The Hordaland Health Study and the Norwegian Prescription Database.
Potential Biases
Non-participants were less educated and had lower income, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Limitations
The study design was observational and not a controlled cohort, and there may be differences between participants and non-participants.
Participant Demographics
Participants were men and women born between 1950 and 1957, living in Hordaland County, Norway.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI for difference
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website