10 Guidelines at a Glance By combining comprehensive, meaningful and clinically relevant outputs, the PREVENT equations empower health care professionals and patients with clearer insight into their cardiovascular risk and, importantly, the potential to change it. Use the PREVENT equations to estimate short- and long-term CVD risk and support clinician-patient discussions about prevention strategies and current guideline-directed treatment strategies. Whenever possible or available, include the following specific guideline-based prevention strategies when discussing the PREVENT equations during management visits. Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Screening and Prevention The PREVENT equations can be used to identify high-risk individuals, including younger adults, at earlier stages of CKM syndrome. The conceptual framework for risk-based prevention of cardiovascular disease, integrating risk assessment with the PREVENT equations and CKM syndrome staging is detailed in the Novel Prediction Equations for Absolute Risk Assessment of Total Cardiovascular Disease Incorporating Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.3 CKM syndrome is classified by a staging construct, which helps guide treatment. Components of CKM syndrome screening, including blood pressure, lipids, BMI, HbA1c, eGFR and UACR as clinically indicated, can inform the calculation of the PREVENT equations. CKM syndrome screening can help identify patients at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, such as those with CKM syndrome stage 3 with a CVD risk estimate of greater than or equal to 20%, providing an opportunity to intensify prevention efforts.3 Lipid-Lowering Therapy (LLT) The 2026 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/ APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines addresses the evaluation, management and monitoring of Use patient-friendly visual aids and shared decision-making support tools. This graphic, for example, can help explain CKM syndrome. Follow the 6As for best communication practices to provide patient-centered care for healthy lifestyle changes at every visit: Ask, Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist and Arrange. Promote a heart-healthy lifestyle by reviewing the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ with patients and the need for lifestyle adjustments in eating habits, level of physical activity, smoking cessation, weight management, sleep, controlling cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. Visual aids can help drive messages home. Encourage patients to use the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ My Life Check calculator, which provides a health score that offers positive reinforcement and shows improvement in real time as they implement lifestyle changes. The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 Fact Sheet for Patients outlines the easy steps they can take for a healthier lifestyle. Helpful Tools to Guide Shared Decision-Making:
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