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The PREVENT equations can improve, personalize care for adults with high BP

August 29th, 2025

Using the Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs (PREVENT) equations provides more accurate risk estimates and supports personalized treatment for adults with high blood pressure or hypertension, according to a new scientific statement published today in the American Heart Association's peer-reviewed journals Circulation and Hypertension, and in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology. This document is a companion to the recently published 2025 AHA/ACC High Blood Pressure Guideline that newly recommends the PREVENT equations to personalize care.

The PREVENT equations, developed by the American Heart Association in 2023, are a clinical tool to estimate 10- and 30-year risk for total cardiovascular disease (CVD), including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and heart failure in adults ages 30–79 without a history of CVD. The PREVENT calculator, based on the PREVENT equations, uses clinical factors, such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, diabetes and adverse social factors (including a zip code–based social deprivation index), to estimate an individual's CVD risk, which includes ASCVD and heart failure. Built on data from 6M+ diverse U.S. adults, PREVENT offers broader applicability than the previously recommended Pooled Cohort Equations (PCEs, the previous risk model used to estimate only ASCVD risk).

Scientific statement highlights include:

  • Details the evidence for why the 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline recommends using the PREVENT-CVD equations and supports using the PREVENTTM-CVD equations to guide treatment decisions for adults with high blood pressure.
  • Shares the evidence for the new PREVENTTM-CVD threshold defined in the 2025 Guideline, which recommends people with stage 1 hypertension (systolic blood pressure 130–139 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure 80–89 mm Hg) and a PREVENTTM-CVD 10-year cardiovascular disease risk score of ≥7.5% should begin taking blood pressure medication(s) along with lifestyle changes.
  • Defines the population-level implications of the revised PREVENTTM-CVD risk threshold in the 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline demonstrating that the number of people recommended for antihypertensive therapy according to the 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline is similar to the 2017 High Blood Pressure Guideline. This directly addresses earlier concerns that fewer people may be recommended antihypertensive treatment. Moreover, the greater accuracy of the PREVENTTM-CVD equations means identifying individuals most likely to benefit from treatment while avoiding unnecessary medication in lower-risk individuals.
  • Shares practical guidance on integrating the PREVENTTM equations into holistic risk assessment that can personalize care for each individual and develop an integrated health care plan to meet patients' needs.
  • More information about PREVENTTM is available here.

"The American Heart Association recommends clinicians base their treatment recommendations for both high blood pressure and cholesterol on cardiovascular disease risk. The new PREVENT equations are based on more modern, more contemporary datasets, therefore, they are a better tool than the past risk models," said Daniel W. Jones, M.D., FAHA, chair of the 2025 high blood pressure guideline writing committee and a co-author of the scientific statement. "The new PREVENT equations are different also because they include information about kidney disease and metabolic disease, all of which are linked to blood pressure levels. The PREVENT equations are more comprehensive and will give a stronger and more accurate risk prediction for our patients, allowing us to personalize care." Jones is also dean and professor emeritus of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, Mississippi.

"The PREVENT equations are the first risk tool that combines cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health measurements to support primary prevention-focused treatment decisions. They represent the best science and evidence to rigorously and accurately estimate CVD risk today," said Sadiya S. Khan, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, chair of the scientific statement writing group. "The most important message for clinicians and patients is that risk from high blood pressure is modifiable. And the goal of using the PREVENT equations is to tailor and personalize preventive care so we can better support our patients to achieve marked improvements that result in longer, healthier lives." Khan is also the Magerstadt Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and an associate professor of cardiology and preventive medicine at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

A curated collection of commentaries, debates, editorials and educational resources to support implementation of the 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline and deepen understanding of its recommendations are listed below and available at this link.

The new scientific statement about using the PREVENT equations, as recommended by the 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline, was prepared by a volunteer writing group on behalf of the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology. Scientific statements outline what is currently known about a topic and what areas need additional research. While scientific statements inform the development of guidelines, they do not make treatment recommendations. American Heart Association guidelines provide the Association's official clinical practice recommendations. Authors of the scientific statement and their disclosures are listed in the manuscript.

The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional resources:

More information:
Sadiya S. Khan et al, Use of Risk Assessment to Guide Decision-Making for Blood Pressure Management in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, Circulation (2025). DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001355

Provided by American Heart Association

Citation: The PREVENT equations can improve, personalize care for adults with high BP (2025, August 29) retrieved 30 August 2025 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/517918121/the-prevent-equations-can-improve-personalize-care-for-adults-wi.html
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