Please read the following patient vignettes and choose the FALSE statement.

A. A 39-year-old man who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals and weight, denies any significant past medical or family history – does not need systematic cardiovascular disease (CVD) assessment.
B. A 39-year-old woman who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals and weight, and has a history of radical hysterectomy (no other significant past medical or family history) – could benefit from systematic or opportunistic CVD assessment.
C. A 39-year-old woman who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals except for a BMI of 27 kg/m2 and a family history of hypertension – requires a systematic global CVD assessment.
D. A 39-year-old man who comes for a regular physical, has normal vitals and weight, and has a personal history of type I diabetes – requires a systematic global CVD assessment.

The correct answer is C.

Option A is an accurate statement, as systematic CVD risk assessment is not recommended in men < 40 years-old and women < 50 years-old, if they have no known cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. (Class III, level C)

Option B is an accurate statement, as this patient had a radical hysterectomy, which means the ovaries have been removed as well and she is considered postmenopausal. Systematic or opportunistic CV risk assessment can be considered in men > 40 years-old and women > 50 years-old or postmenopausal, even in the absence of known ASCVD risk factors. (Class IIb, level C)

Option C is a false statement and thus the correct answer, as the recommendations for global screening in this patient are not as strong and would require shared decision making. Opportunistic screening of blood pressure can be considered in her, as she is at risk for developing hypertension. Blood pressure screening should be considered in adults at risk for the development of hypertension, such as those who are overweight or with a known family history of hypertension. (Class IIa, level B)

Option D is an accurate statement, as systematic global CVD risk assessment is recommended in individuals with any major vascular risk factor (i.e., family history of premature CVD, familial hyperlipidemia, CVD risk factors such as smoking, arterial hypertension, DM, raised lipid level, obesity, or comorbidities increasing CVD risk). (Class I, level C)

Additional learning points:

Do you know the difference between opportunistic and systematic CVD screening?

• Opportunistic screening refers to screening without a predefined strategy when the patient presents for different reasons. This is an effective and recommended way to screen for ASCVD risk factors, although it is unclear if it leads to benefits in clinical outcomes.
• Systematic screening can be done following a clear strategy formally evaluating either the general population or targeted subpopulations (i.e., type 2 diabetics or patients with significant family history of CVD). Systematic screening results in improvements in risk factors but has no proven effect on CVD outcomes.

Main Takeaway

Systematic CVD risk assessment in the general population without CV risk factors does not seem to be cost effective and has unclear benefits on outcomes, although it does lead to increased detection of potentially actionable CV risk factors. Risk assessment is not a one-time event and should be repeated (e.g., every 5 years), but there is no clear data to guide intervals.

Guideline Location

Section 3.1, page 3236; Table on page 3242.