For a patient with coronary artery disease, what additional risk factor should be assessed?

In assessing a patient with coronary artery disease (CAD), it is crucial to consider various risk factors that can exacerbate their condition. While weight can be an important factor in overall cardiovascular health, it is primarily the presence of metabolic risk factors, such as obesity, that contribute to worsening CAD.

However, when evaluating the most pertinent additional risk factors in a clinical context, factors like blood glucose levels may be more directly related, especially concerning diabetes and its association with heart disease. Elevated blood glucose levels are a significant risk factor because diabetes is linked to an increased risk of developing CAD. This risk is compounded in the presence of other factors like hypertension or dyslipidemia that often accompany metabolic syndrome.

Family history and smoking status are also essential considerations, as they can indicate a predisposition to cardiovascular illness. Family history shows a genetic component, while smoking is a well-established endothelial damaging risk factor.

Weight on its own does not provide the same immediate and quantifiable risk as blood glucose or the direct lifestyle and genetic implications of family history and smoking. Thus, while weight is indeed a factor to consider, assessing blood glucose levels may yield more immediate insights concerning the patient's risk profile in relation to CAD progression.