Developing risk stratification charts for diabetic and nondiabetic subjects

Aims To provide estimates of the 10-year risk of coronary heart disease eve nts for diabetic and nondiabetic men and women with different levels of ris k factors and, for diabetic subjects, with and without microalbuminuria. Methods Use of risk coefficients derived from the Framingham Study and a me taanalysis of the influence of microalbuminuria on cardiovascular disease. The risk of a coronary heart disease event has been calculated for men and women with and without diabetes mellitus, and among diabetic subjects, with and without microalbuminuria, according to age, systolic blood pressure an d the ratio of total to high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Results These risk estimates have been developed as a series of colour char ts. The use of Framingham estimates of risk have been validated by comparin g them with estimates derived from the Dundee Risk Disk and from the PROCAM Study, these estimates providing reasonable agreement despite the geograph ical and temporal differences in their development. Conclusions These charts permit the overall level of risk to be derived, wh ich can inform decision making about thresholds for therapeutic interventio ns, as well as assisting in patient education.