# Risk of cardiovascular disease in Germany: results from GEDA 2022

## TL;DR

This study from Germany shows that many people underestimate their risk of cardiovascular disease, especially those with higher education, better mental health, and physical activity.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the discrepancy between actual and perceived cardiovascular disease risk in a German population.

## Key findings

- 73.5% of adults were at low cardiovascular disease risk according to the test.
- Half of those at increased or high risk perceived themselves as being at almost no or low risk.
- Underestimation of risk was linked to lower education, better mental health, and physical activity.

## Abstract

Knowledge of the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is important for its prevention.

Data from a non-clinical test for the absolute risk of having a heart attack or stroke for the first time in the next ten years is available from 3,271 35- to 69-year-old participants in the GEDA 2022 study without a diagnosis of heart attack or stroke. This risk was categorised as low (< 5 %), still low (≥ 5 % – < 7.5 %), increased (≥ 7.5 % – < 10 %) and high (≥ 10 %). In addition, the self-perceived CVD risk was asked as almost no, low, moderate and high risk.

According to the CVD test, 73.5 % of adults were at low risk, 7.8 % were still at low risk, 6.0 % were at increased risk and 12.8 % were at high risk. In contrast, 28.7 % perceived themselves to be at almost no risk, 45.3 % at low risk, 20.4 % at moderate risk and 5.6 % at high risk of CVD. The higher the test-based risk, the lower the proportion of those who perceived themselves as having almost no or only a low risk. Nevertheless, half of the people with an increased to high risk according to the test result perceived themselves to be at almost no or only a low risk. The underestimation of risk was associated with lower education, better mental health and physical activity in both sexes.

People who underestimate their risk of CVD despite an unfavourable risk factor profile are a key target group for cardiovascular prevention.