New screening tool available to assess CVD risk for Alberta patients

A new cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk screening tool geared toward Albertans aged 40 to 75 aims to determine a patient’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years.The Enhanced Lipid Reporting (ELR) tool is a standardized lab-based approach to calculate CVD and stroke risk that ensures those at risk receive early treatment and advice on prevention.The CVD screening tool is based on the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), the preferred dyslipidemia screening tool of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS). The FRS algorithm is built into Alberta's new provincial electronic medical record system (Connect Care). It went live in January 2022 with a pilot study, and now is rolling out across the province. The tool is integrated into the CCS 2021 Dyslipidemia treatment guidelines, also built into Connect Care. Primary care has access to the ELR screening tool as the labs in their geographical area launch onto Connect Care. Read: QUIZ: How much do you know about new Canadian antiplatelet guidelines?Easy access to resultsProviders who use the tool will receive an enhanced lipid report that contains the patient’s FRS results, lipid panel results and CCS treatment recommendations. The results also go into MyHealth Records, allowing patients to view their results and recommendations. The results are also sent to Netcare, where they can be viewed by other healthcare professionals.The tool aims to prevent heart attacks and strokes through:• the identification of those who are at risk• promoting doctor-patient discussions• promoting healthy lifestyle changes• early treatmentCVD is the second leading cause of death in Alberta, and the number one cause of death for women, Alberta Health Services reports. Every hour, 12 Canadians over the age of 20 with heart disease die. Alberta Health Services provides patients with online supports and resources to assist in prevention, including patient videos, guidance on talking to their doctor, making lifestyle changes and more.

New screening tool available to assess CVD risk for Alberta patients

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics