framingham risk index

Hello.

In the UK, family doctors have the Framingham Risk Index programmed onto their PCs, so that when you get the standard printout for a consultant (listing medications, recent conditions, and so on) it gives a percentage mark as to your chances of having a heart attack in the next ten years.

I'm all for increased awareness of heart problems, as it might make some of my fat boozy smokey fellow-citizens take notice, but I have my doubts about the Framingham, as it excludes lifestyle questions (exercise, diet, and obesity, for example).

You can see it on the web, and do the test yourselves, but I wondered whether (as it was designed and launched in the US) the Risk Index is in use there, and what opinions are of its efficacy.

Just a thought.

Allen-UK, London.

Thank you for the info Allen-UK.  I got a laugh out of the "fat boozy smokey fellow-citizens"  cute!

Allen,

We use Framingham here pretty often. The biggest complaint we have about it is that it is from Framingham Mass, which means the vast majority of the people are Caucasian, European, males -- but that should not affect your bias in the UK--it does in the South, where I practice, where about 50% of my patients are African-American.

Yes, it does not include lifestyle, and family history--however, it is the best data we have of a population to present. So we use it quite often--and is used in most of our recommendations/guidelines.

Thanks Erskine, interesting.

No, from that point of view Framingham is more valid in much of S.E. England, but there are areas where (for example) there are a majority of people originally from India, who have genetic disorders of their own which skew the figures, and in some parts of London, large numbers of people of Caribbean origin.

So, there's a project for you. Write an updated version of Framingham, and your name will live on.

Mind, as in all things up-to-date figures matter. My GP gave me a score of 20% plus, which worried me until I ran my own Framingham Risk with updated figures as to cholesterol and BP, and dropped below 10%. (It's okay, I'm not getting complacent. With a calcium score of around 4000 (four and three zeros) I will continue to be cautious).

Best wishes,

Allen, London.