Many of the risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and family history, can be identified and addressed before they lead to a cardiac event. Cardiac prevention focuses on this early identification and management.
Cardiovascular risk is not a single number, it reflects a combination of factors including blood pressure, cholesterol, age, smoking status, diabetes and family history. Australian cardiology and general practice guidelines use an absolute cardiovascular risk framework to estimate a person’s overall risk over time, rather than looking at any one factor in isolation.
Your cardiologist will bring this same framework, along with specialist clinical judgement, to your individual assessment.
Your cardiologist will review your personal and family history, current risk factors and any relevant test results from your GP, to build a clear picture of your cardiovascular risk. Where appropriate, this may include blood pressure assessment, lipid review, or further diagnostic testing such as an ECG or echocardiogram.
Based on your assessment, your cardiologist will discuss a management plan that may include lifestyle guidance, medication where appropriate, and a schedule for ongoing review, developed in coordination with your GP.
Patients with risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a family history of heart disease, or other cardiovascular risk factors may benefit from a preventative assessment.
Your GP plays a central role in preventative care and routine risk assessment. A specialist cardiac prevention assessment adds cardiologist level review and access to on site diagnostic testing, generally where your GP has identified a need for more detailed cardiac investigation.
Depending on your individual risk factors, your cardiologist may recommend blood pressure monitoring, lipid testing or other diagnostic tests as part of your assessment.
Yes, a referral from your GP is required for a cardiac prevention consultation.
If your GP has recommended a cardiovascular risk assessment, ask them to send a referral directly to BK Heart.
