Risk stratification for coronary artery disease in multi-ethnic populations: Are there broader considerations for cost efficiency?

Figure 1 Ethnicity, epidemiological transition and coronary artery disease. A: The global distribution of CAD deaths. B: Mean national data may underrepresent variations within health system clusters of CAD risk, prevalence and incidences. Within developing nations, traditional and non-traditional factors contribute to risk and may alter baseline risks associated with ethnicity and gender. When such groups’ transition to developed nations such has Australia, excellent mean health care outcomes data could mask greater heterogeneity of outcomes data. These variations in epidemiological transition areas are also seen in some remote and Aboriginal populations. As demographic variations are represented variably within various health clusters this has to be factored in risk stratification. Centralized fixed guidelines and health funding models could thus be suboptimal for optimal health efficacy. (Geographical map from reference 6 and 17).