Information needed to decide about cardiovascular treatment in primary care.

There is growing consensus that treatment of cardiovascular risks should be based on multiple rather than single factors and on absolute rather than relative risks. Thresholds for treatment should reflect the level of absolute risk at which the benefits and hazards of treating outweigh the benefits and hazards of not treating. Once a decision has been made to initiate a treatment programme, clinicians need to know the patient's absolute risk. At this level of risk do the benefits of treatment outweigh the hazards? Given this information, which treatment option does the patient prefer? Using cardiovascular disease as an example, I review some measures that assist decision making in primary care. Practice guidelines should routinely include accessible presentation of treatment outcomes on benefit, hazard, and costs for a range of absolute risks. These measures enable patients and their doctors to weigh the pros and cons of treatment in their particular circumstances.