Absolute risk of cardiovascular disease events, and blood pressure-and lipid-lowering therapy in Australia

Objective: To quantify absolute cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and treatment in Australian adults. Design, participants: Cross-sectional representative study of 9564 people aged 18 years or more who had participated in the 2011e12 Australian National Health Measures Survey (response rate for those aged 45e74 years: 46.5%). Main outcome measures: Prior CVD was ascertained and 5-year absolute risk of a primary CVD event calculated (using the Australian National Vascular Disease Prevention Alliance algorithm; categories: low [< 10%], moderate [10e15%], and high [> 15%] risk) on the basis of data on medical history, risk factors and medications, derived from interviews, physical measurements, and blood and urine samples. Results: Absolute CVD risk increased with age and was higher among men than women. Overall, 19.9% (95% CI, 18.5e21.3%) of Australians aged 45e74 years had a high absolute risk of a future CVD event (an estimated 1445000 people): 8.7% (95% CI, 7.8e9.6%) had prior CVD (estimated 634000 people) and 11.2% (95% CI, 10.2e12.2%) had high primary CVD risk (estimated 811000 people). A further 8.6% (95% CI, 7.4e9.8%, estimated 625000) were at moderate primary CVD risk. Among those with prior CVD, 44.2% (95% CI, 36.8e51.6%) were receiving blood pressure-and lipidlowering medications, 35.4% (95% CI, 27.8e43.0%) were receiving only one of these, and 20.4% (95% CI, 13.9e26.9%) were receiving neither. Corresponding figures for high primary CVD risk were 24.3% (95% CI, 18.3e30.3%); 28.7% (95% CI, 22.7e34.7%); and 47.1% (95% CI, 39.9e54.3%). Conclusions: About one-fifth of the Australian population aged 45e74 years (about 1.4 million individuals) were estimated to have a high absolute risk of a future CVD event. Most (estimated 970000) were not receiving currently recommended combination blood pressure-and lipid-lowering therapy, indicating substantial potential for health gains by increasing routine assessment and treatment according to absolute CVD risk.