NYU Study Confirms PREVENT Tool's Superiority in Predicting Heart Disease Risk

A new study led by NYU Langone Health has confirmed the effectiveness of the American Heart Association’s PREVENT tool in predicting cardiovascular disease risk. The research, published in Nature Medicine, shows that the tool outperforms older models like the Pooled Cohort Equation (PCE). The PREVENT tool was tested on data from more than 6.4 million people across North America, Europe, and Asia. Over an average follow-up of 5.5 years, researchers recorded over 300,000 cardiovascular events to assess its accuracy. The tool reliably predicts both 10- and 30-year risks of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

Including renal function data, such as albuminuria, further improved the tool’s precision. This refinement allows for more tailored treatment plans, including lipid-lowering drugs, blood pressure medications, and lifestyle advice. The study received funding from organisations like the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the US National Kidney Foundation. The tool’s strong global performance suggests it could help standardise international guidelines for cardiovascular prevention. Its widespread reliability may lead to more consistent and effective strategies in clinical practice.

The validation of PREVENT marks a step toward more accurate and personalised cardiovascular risk assessment. Clinicians can now use the tool to determine treatment intensity and guide patient care. The findings support its adoption in global healthcare guidelines.