Cardiovascular risk and eligibility for preventive treatment: The role of ethnicity

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading global causes of morbidity and mortality. Strategies to prevent CVD have contributed strongly to the declining rates of CVD in Western societies. However, it is unknown whether these strategies are effective among ethnic minority populations as they have been validated mainly among ethnic majority populations in Western societies. The importance of addressing this gap in knowledge is increasing considering (1) the increasing ethnic diversity of the Western societies and (2) recent observations that large ethnic differences in the burden of CVD exist. Consequently, the recent European CVD prevention guidelines have described the urgent need for more studies regarding ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors, overall CVD risk and CVD prevention.
The overall aim of this thesis was to assess ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors and overall CVD risk, and to assess to what extent current CVD prevention strategies may be improved to better fit the needs of ethnic minority populations.
Two specific aims were addressed:
1. Determine ethnic differences in estimated CVD risk, both overall and in relevant subgroups.
2. Determine ethnic differences in the eligibility and execution of cardiovascular risk screening and preventive cardiovascular risk treatment.