[Assessment of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients: comparison among scores]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hypertension management necessitates comprehensive risk evaluation for optimal prognosis and therapy.
• Current European and American guidelines advocate for global cardiovascular risk stratification in hypertensive patients.
• This involves assessing risk factors, organ damage, and hypertension-related clinical conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare various cardiovascular risk scores used for hypertensive patients.
• To analyze the advantages, disadvantages, similarities, and differences among different risk assessment tools.
• To underscore the importance of accurate risk evaluation in hypertension management as per guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Review of principal studies on cardiovascular risk scores for hypertension.
• Comparative analysis of different risk score methodologies and their epidemiological basis.
• Examination of risk factors, organ damage, and clinical conditions in risk stratification.

Main Results:

• Risk scores translate population-based risk percentages into absolute values for individual assessment.
• Geographical variations exist, with North American hypertensives generally facing higher cardiovascular risk than Europeans.
• Different risk scores, though developed by distinct groups, aim to define population risk over time.

Conclusions:

• Correct risk evaluation is pivotal in hypertension management, as emphasized by clinical guidelines.
• While diverse risk scores exist, their utility lies in providing a framework for patient assessment.
• Understanding the similarities and differences between scores can reveal the potential equivalence of assessed parameters.