The FINRISK 2.0 calculator: estimation of the risk of coronary events and stroke in the finnish population

FINRISK cardiovascular risk factor surveys were carried out in 1982, 1987, 1992, 2002 and 2007 in five areas of Finland among the population aged 30–74 years. The incidence of serious coronary heart disease events and stroke events was identified from the National Causes-of-Death Register and the National Hospital Discharge Register. Of 19 183 men 1317 had an incident coronary event and 562 had a stroke during the 10-year follow-up period, and out of 20 607 women 518 had an incident coronary event and 361 had an incident stroke. The FINRISK function was calculated using a logistic regression model. This article updates the earlier version of the calculator.

High systolic blood pressure, high total cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol, diabetes and parental myocardial infarction predicted coronary heart disease in 10-year follow-up in both men and women. Stroke was predicted by high systolic blood pressure, smoking, low HDL-cholesterol and diabetes.

The risk function is widely used in clinical practice to estimate the patient’s risk and also in health education to motivate people to change their health behaviour.