NNT
Also written as: NNT — Number Needed to Treat
Number needed to treat; the number of patients who must receive a treatment for one additional patient to benefit compared to control.
Full Definition
Number needed to treat (NNT) is a statistical measure that indicates how many patients must receive a specific treatment for one additional patient to experience a beneficial outcome compared to a control group. In preventive cardiology, NNT helps clinicians understand treatment efficiency and communicate benefit-risk ratios to patients. For example, an NNT of 50 for statin therapy means that 50 patients must be treated for one additional patient to avoid a cardiovascular event. Lower NNT values indicate more effective treatments.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalize when using the acronym; use lowercase when spelling out the full term.
In Context
- "The NNT for statin therapy in primary prevention ranges from 50 to 100 depending on baseline risk." — Clinical decision-making guide
- "Understanding the NNT helps clinicians counsel patients about treatment benefits and limitations." — Medical education material