Major Global Coronary Artery Calcium Guidelines

• Published in: JACC. Cardiovascular imaging Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 98 - 117
• Main Authors: Golub, Ilana S., Termeie, Orly G., Kristo, Stephanie, Schroeder, Lucia P., Lakshmanan, Suvasini, Shafter, Ahmed M., Hussein, Luay, Verghese, Dhiran, Aldana-Bitar, Jairo, Manubolu, Venkat S., Budoff, Matthew J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Adult; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA); Atherosclerosis - drug therapy; atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; Calcium; Canada; Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS); Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ); cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular Diseases; Clinical Practice Guidelines; computed tomography angiography; coronary artery calcium; Coronary Artery Disease - drug therapy; Coronary Artery Disease - therapy; European Society for Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS); Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Japanese Atherosclerosis Society (JAS); National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; United States; Canada; United States; SBP; cardiovascular disease; Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ); coronary artery calcium; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); CAC; ASCVD; LDL-C; CAD; computed tomography angiography; DM; atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA); CVD; CV; PCE; Clinical Practice Guidelines; Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS); European Society for Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS); CPG; Japanese Atherosclerosis Society (JAS); CKD; CHD
• ISSN: 1936-878X; 1876-7591
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2022.06.018

This review summarizes the framework behind global guidelines of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk assessment, for applications in both the clinical setting and preventive therapy. By comparing similarities and differences in recommendations, this review identifies most notable common features for the application of CAC presented by different cardiovascular societies across the world. Guidelines included from North America are as follows: 1) the 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease; and 2) the 2021 Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemia for Prevention of Adult Cardiovascular Disease. The authors also included European guidelines: 1) the 2019 European Society for Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemias; and 2) the 2016 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Clinical Guidelines. In this comparison, the authors also discuss: 1) the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Guidelines on CAC; 2) the Chinese Society of Cardiology Guidelines; and 3) the Japanese Atherosclerosis Society Guidelines for Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases. Last, they include statements made by specialty societies including the National Lipid Association, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Utilizing an in-depth review of clinical evidence, these guidelines emphasize the importance of CAC in the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. International guidelines all empower a dynamic clinician-patient relationship and advocate for individualized discussions regarding disease management and pharmacotherapy treatment. Some differences in precise coronary artery calcium score intervals, risk cut points, treatment thresholds, and stratifiers of specific patient subgroups do exist. However, international guidelines employ more similarities than differences from both a clinical and functional perspective. Understanding the parallels among international coronary artery calcium guidelines is essential for clinicians to correctly adjudicate personalized statin and aspirin therapy and further medical management.
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•Guidelines worldwide emphasize the importance of CAC in up- or down-risking of patients for ASCVD risk and for initiating or prolonging preventive pharmacotherapies.•International guidelines empower a dynamic clinician-patient relationship and advocate for individualized discussions regarding disease management and pharmacotherapy treatment.•Understanding the parallels among international CAC guidelines is essential for clinicians to individualize further medical management.