. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Aug 6.

Published in final edited form as: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 Mar 17;74(10):1376–1414. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2019.03.009

TABLE 3.

Risk-Enhancing Factors for Clinician–Patient Risk Discussion

Risk-Enhancing Factors
Family history of premature ASCVD (males, age <55 y; females, age <65 y) Primary hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C 160–189 mg/dL [4.1–4.8 mmol/L]; non–HDL-C 190–219 mg/dL [4.9–5.6 mmol/L])^* Metabolic syndrome (increased waist circumference [by ethnically appropriate cutpoints], elevated triglycerides [>150 mg/dL, nonfasting], elevated blood pressure, elevated glucose, and low HDL-C [<40 mg/dL in men; <50 mg/dL in women] are factors; a tally of 3 makes the diagnosis) Chronic kidney disease (eGFR 15–59 mL/min/1.73 m² with or without albuminuria; not treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation) Chronic inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis, RA, lupus, or HIV/AIDS History of premature menopause (before age 40 y) and history of pregnancy-associated conditions that increase later ASCVD risk, such as preeclampsia High-risk race/ethnicity (e.g., South Asian ancestry) Lipids/biomarkers: associated with increased ASCVD risk Persistently elevated^* primary hypertriglyceridemia (≥175 mg/dL, nonfasting); If measured: Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (≥2.0 mg/L) Elevated Lp(a): A relative indication for its measurement is family history of premature ASCVD. An Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL or ≥125 nmol/L constitutes a risk-enhancing factor, especially at higher levels of Lp(a). Elevated apoB (≥130 mg/dL): A relative indication for its measurement would be triglyceride ≥200 mg/dL. A level ≥130 mg/dL corresponds to an LDL-C >160 mg/dL and constitutes a risk-enhancing factor ABI (<0.9)

Risk-Enhancing Factors

Family history of premature ASCVD (males, age <55 y; females, age <65 y)
Primary hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C 160–189 mg/dL [4.1–4.8 mmol/L]; non–HDL-C 190–219 mg/dL [4.9–5.6 mmol/L])^*
Metabolic syndrome (increased waist circumference [by ethnically appropriate cutpoints], elevated triglycerides [>150 mg/dL, nonfasting], elevated blood pressure, elevated glucose, and low HDL-C [<40 mg/dL in men; <50 mg/dL in women] are factors; a tally of 3 makes the diagnosis)
Chronic kidney disease (eGFR 15–59 mL/min/1.73 m² with or without albuminuria; not treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation)
Chronic inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis, RA, lupus, or HIV/AIDS
History of premature menopause (before age 40 y) and history of pregnancy-associated conditions that increase later ASCVD risk, such as preeclampsia
High-risk race/ethnicity (e.g., South Asian ancestry)
Lipids/biomarkers: associated with increased ASCVD risk
- Persistently elevated^* primary hypertriglyceridemia (≥175 mg/dL, nonfasting);
- If measured:
  - Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (≥2.0 mg/L)
  - Elevated Lp(a): A relative indication for its measurement is family history of premature ASCVD. An Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL or ≥125 nmol/L constitutes a risk-enhancing factor, especially at higher levels of Lp(a).
  - Elevated apoB (≥130 mg/dL): A relative indication for its measurement would be triglyceride ≥200 mg/dL. A level ≥130 mg/dL corresponds to an LDL-C >160 mg/dL and constitutes a risk-enhancing factor
  - ABI (<0.9)

Optimally, 3 determinations.

ABI indicates ankle-brachial index; AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; apoB, apolipoprotein B; ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Lp(a), lipoprotein (a); and RA, rheumatoid arthritis.