Risk estimation and the prevention of cardiovascular disease

Current status

It has been highlighted that there is a fault with the risk assessment calculator on the website www.assign-score.com

Recommendation

1. With immediate effect clinicians are to STOP using the website.
2. Where clinicians have used the website since 22nd November to inform care, they should now give significant consideration to review their clinical decisions.
3. Where available, clinicians should make use of other implementations of this calculator which may be built into their clinical systems (e.g. Vision+ or Bluebay CT). For those without embedded ASSIGN calculators the website does include a downloadable offline version, however we recognise that Health Board Security policies may prevent the use of that.
4. Where necessary report any adverse care issues via local clinical line management e.g. the DATIX system

Remit and target users

This guideline deals with the management of cardiovascular risk, both primary prevention, defined as the potential for intervention prior to the disease presenting through a specified event (any incident linked to critical disruption of blood flow that may cause damage to the heart, brain or peripheral tissues), and secondary prevention, defined as the potential for intervention after an event has occurred.

This guideline will be of particular interest to healthcare professionals involved in the management of patients with cardiovascular disease including cardiologists, dietitians, general practitioners, lipidologists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, practice nurses, psychologists and public health staff, as well as patients, carers, voluntary organisations and policy makers.

How this guideline was developed

This guideline was developed using a standard methodology based on a systematic review of the evidence. Further details can be found in SIGN 50: A Guideline Developer’s Handbook.

Keeping up to date

This guideline was published in 2017. The review history, and any updates to the guideline in the interim period, will be noted in the review report.

​ Current 3-7 years

Some recommendations may be out of date, declaration of interests governance may not be in line with current policy.