The ASCVD Risk Estimator app, created by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, is a quick way to estimate a patient’s 10-year and lifetime risk for athersclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

ASCVD is defined as a “coronary death or nonfatal myocardial infarction, or fatal or nonfatal stroke, based on the Pooled Cohort Equations and lifetime risk prediction tools.”

The app opens to a screen where you enter the patient’s data which includes gender, age, race, HDL, total cholesterol, systolic BP, diabetes status, smoker status, and whether they are being treated for hypertension.

Once all of the data is entered into the intuitive interface, the 10-year and lifetime risk is automatically displayed.main screen with data

From there, you can click to see recommendations regarding lifestyle and treatment (including level of statin therapy).

recommendations

There are two other tabs that provide information relevant to ASCVD including risk and treatment. One tab is for clinicians and the other is for patients. The information is laid out well and sources are provided.

clinician tabpatient tab

Price

  • Free

Likes

  • Intuitive and easy to use
  • Well-designed layout

Dislikes

  • None

Conclusion

  • Ability to get statin therapy recommendations is the most tremendous feature of this app.
  • The ASCVD Risk Estimator app is good for getting a quick estimate of a patient’s risk. The app is useful for both patients and physicians. Physicians can use it to estimate risk–an important factor in guiding treatment.
  • The app is also a good source to learn about ASCVD and related lifestyle and treatment information.
  • The app is also available on Android.

Devices–This app was reviewed using an iPhone 5s.

iTunes Link
Google Play Link

Rating: 5/5

  • User Interface: 5/5 – There is effectively no learning curve to using this app. It is simple and intuitive.
  • Multimedia Usage: 5/5 – For the goals of this app, the multimedia usage is quite good. Although there aren’t any fun gadgets such as videos, this is an example where less is more.
  • Price: 5/5 – Free
  • Real World Applicability: 5/5 – Although the scope of this app is relatively narrow, this app does exactly what it claims to in a quick and easy way. For the purpose of estimating ASCVD risk, it is certainly usable in the real world.

Disclaimer
This post does not establish, nor is it intended to establish, a patient physician relationship with anyone. It does not substitute for professional advice, and does not substitute for an in-person evaluation with your health care provider. It does not provide the definitive statement on the subject addressed. Before using these apps please consult with your own physician or health care provider as to the apps validity and accuracy as this post is not intended to affirm the validity or accuracy of the apps in question. The app(s) mentioned in this post should not be used without discussing the app first with your health care provider.