risk-enhancing factors
Additional clinical factors that may warrant more intensive cardiovascular risk reduction when traditional risk assessment is borderline.
Full Definition
Risk-enhancing factors are additional clinical, laboratory, or imaging findings that may justify more intensive cardiovascular risk reduction strategies when traditional risk assessment places patients in borderline or intermediate categories. These factors include family history of premature cardiovascular disease, persistently elevated LDL cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney disease, inflammatory conditions, and certain imaging findings. The 2018 AHA/ACC cholesterol guidelines specifically incorporated these factors to help clinicians make treatment decisions when traditional risk calculators yield intermediate results.
Usage
Usage note: Specify which guidelines or criteria define the particular risk-enhancing factors being discussed.
In Context
- "The presence of multiple risk-enhancing factors supported initiation of statin therapy despite intermediate calculated risk." — cardiology consultation note
- "Guidelines emphasize the importance of risk-enhancing factors in treatment decision-making for borderline cases." — clinical review article