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End points for predicting coronary risk must be clarified

BMJ 2001; 323 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7309.396/a (Published 18 August 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;323:396
  1. Fiona C Lampe, lecturer in medical statistics and epidemiology,
  2. Mary Walker, senior lecturer in epidemiology,
  3. A Gerald Shaper, emeritus professor,
  4. Peter M Brindle, Wellcome training fellow,
  5. Peter H Whincup, professor of cardiovascular epidemiology,
  6. Shah Ebrahim, professor in epidemiology of ageing
  1. Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, London NW3 2PF
  2. Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PR
  3. Department of Public Health Sciences, St Georges Hospital Medical School, London SW17 0RE
  4. Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PR

    EDITOR—The term “absolute coronary risk” is often used without an explicit definition, resulting in confusing inconsistencies. The 1997 Standing Medical Advisory Committee on statin use and the 1998 Joint British recommendations on coronary heart disease prevention say that among people without established coronary heart disease, those with an absolute risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction or coronary death of 30% or more over 10 years should be identified and treated, and that this threshold should be lowered to 15% as resources allow. 1 2 Yet the …

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