New Heart Association Guidelines Overestimate Risk
by Matthew Lawlor on Nov 18, 2013 | Views: 137 | Score: 1
Number of Patients Targeted by New Guidelines | Number of Patients Estimated to Actually be at Risk of Heart Attack | |
---|---|---|
November 2013 Heart Medication Guidelines | 33 | 16 |
Millions of Patients
Sources:
latimes.com
Last week the American Heart Association and the nation's cardiologists released new guidelines for physicians prescribing heart medication to patients at risk of heart attack. New estimates reveal that the "risk calculator" used to assess the need for medication can yield an error of 75 to 150 percent. Respected cardiologists from Harvard medical school are pointing out these discrepancies.