[Subclinical atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemia - Towards a personalized, shared decision-making cardiovascular...

Identification of subjects at increased cardiovascular risk (CV) using traditional risk calculators is established. Nevertheless, up to 50% of CV events occur in people classified as intermediate risk. Non-invasive atherosclerosis (ATS) assessment with carotid/femoral US and coronary artery calcium score, offers the opportunity of a personalized prevention. ATS detection could be useful in improving CV risk stratification, in optimizing individual therapeutic management and in promoting a shared decision-making process. Is this the era of a paradigm shift in CV-risk prediction? The fascinating question is still open, but the increasing number of evidences shed new insights for our everyday clinical practice. Here we strive to provide an updated scenario on the use of ATS imaging in the CV risk evaluation and therapeutic decision.