Economic Evaluation seminar - The Causal-Benefit Model of Cardiovascular Prevention

Title: The Causal-Benefit Model of Cardiovascular Prevention

Abstract: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with nearly half of all events occurring before the age of 65. Current prevention strategies in high-income countries rely heavily on 10-year risk models, which are largely driven by age and sex, often failing to identify younger individuals who would benefit from early intervention. The causal-benefit model of prevention offers a paradigm shift, prioritizing individuals not only by risk but by the absolute benefit of lowering atherogenic lipoprotein levels. This talk will explore the clinical and economic rationale for adopting benefit-guided lipid-lowering therapy, particularly in younger adults, drawing on recent cost-effectiveness analyses. It will also discuss the role of the causal-benefit model to guide treatment decisions for novel and more expensive lipid-lowering agents. Finally, it will discuss innovative approaches to reaching underserved populations with cost-effective treatments to improve equity and efficiency in cardiovascular prevention.