New Zealand and British risk charts are easier to use in primary care than Sheffield table

Three sets of coronary risk scores are widely available, all of which include age, sex, smoking, diabetes, blood pressure, and ratio of total to HDL cholesterol: the Sheffield table, the New Zealand guidelines, and the joint British societies charts. To assess accuracy and ease of use Isles et al randomised 37 Scottish general practices to receive the three risk scores in different sequences and asked a doctor and a nurse in each practice to use each method on the same set of 12 case histories (p 690). Accuracy was consistent for doctors; nurses were less accurate with the Sheffield tablewhich was also rated less easy to use and received fewer high preference scores.

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Relevant Article

Risk assessment in primary prevention of coronary heart disease: randomised comparison of three scoring methods

Christopher G Isles, Lewis D Ritchie, Peter Murchie, and John Norrie
BMJ 2000 320: 690-691. [Full Text] [PDF]