New Australian CVD risk guideline

We are delighted to inform you that the 2023 Australian Guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk and associated Australian cardiovascular disease risk calculator (Aus CVD Risk Calculator) is here! This is the first major update to Australian CVD risk assessment guidelines in over a decade, distilling evidence from multidisciplinary clinical and consumer groups to inform recommendations.

Supported by funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, the Heart Foundation has led the development of the new guideline and accompanying calculator on behalf of the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA), represented in this project by Diabetes Australia, Kidney Health Australia and Stroke Foundation.

One of the standout features of the new guideline is the introduction of a new CVD risk prediction equation, which for the first time has been uniquely modified and recalibrated for the Australian population. It is also the first Australian CVD Risk Calculator to account for socioeconomic disadvantage and diabetes-specific risk factors.

New guidance has been provided on reclassification factors that may help clinicians refine risk estimates produced by the Aus CVD Risk Calculator. To aid shared decision-making between primary care clinicians and patients, risk communication and patient decision support tools have been embedded within the online calculator platform.

Endorsed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the 2023 Australian Guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk and associated Aus CVD Risk Calculator set the new clinical standard for CVD prevention in Australia. We encourage you to explore the new guideline and familiarise yourself with the Aus CVD Risk Calculator.

You can access the guideline, the Aus CVD Risk Calculator and other important resources at cvdcheck.org.au