[Advantages and limitations of the cardiovascular risk charts]

The absolute risk of cardiovascular events depends on the individual's global risk profile, obtained from estimating the effects of multiple risk factors in the subject. Several risk charts have been prepared by National Societies to calculate the probability of an individual to suffer coronary events during a 10-year follow-up period. In 1998 the Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology published a risk chart which was diffused to promote primary prevention in the general population. However, some limitations apply to this model in Italy because the Framingham Study equation, which was implemented jointly by AHA/ACC for the assessment of cardiovascular risk, works in high risk North American populations but may overestimate risk in Mediterranean countries. On the other hand, the Carta Italiana del Rischio Cardiovascolare, derived successively from 3 different heterogeneous clinical studies to describe the risk profile, calculates the total cardiovascular burden in our population. The main advantage of introducing risk charts is the spread of prevention in the general population to reduce excess risk (> 20%) through suitable treatment. Thus, the assessment of high risk subjects warrants significant economic resources, and so it is important that it be appropriate. The Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare has collected data on the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Italy, which could be easily integrated for a risk calculation appropriate to our country.