Heart Risk Calculator Often Overestimates Danger, Study Finds
Dr. Kumar’s Take:
Doctors often use a tool called the ASCVD (Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease) Risk Calculator to estimate a person’s chance of having a heart attack or stroke. But this study shows that the calculator may be overestimating that risk—sometimes by a lot—especially for people without diabetes. That means many people may be prescribed statins when they might not need them.
If you’re told to start a statin just based on your risk score, it’s worth discussing the numbers with your doctor and considering other factors like lifestyle, family history, and current health.