Ischaemic heart disease risk scores and their applications : a systematic review

Abstract

Numerous diagnostic strategies can be used on patients suspected of suffering from coronary artery disease (CAD), also referred to as ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Coronary angiography is currently still considered as the gold standard for diagnosing arterial plaques causing obstructive IHD, yet coronary angiography is invasive and costly, and may still not be able to demonstrate non-atheromatous CAD, which, although rare, may still occur in the younger age group. Since the overall risk of IHD is made up of a number of multiple risk factors several risk assessment tools may be used to try and estimate the risk of this pathology within the different age groups.