Abstract
Funding Acknowledgements
Type of funding sources: None.
Introduction
The novel 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines on lipids recommend a more intensive reduction on LDL-C for patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in comparison with the 2016 edition.
Purpose
This cross-sectional observation study aims to assess whether patients on lipid lowering therapy, as a secondary prevention measure, are aware of the new set goals and if they achieved them.
Methods
Patients with known ASCVD, taking currently any statin, visiting the Emergency Department of a tertiary hospital in northern Greece were invited to participate by answering a short questionnaire followed by a phone call to provide the exact lab results or other details. Data were analyzed with the SPSS software version 20.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Results
In total 459 eligible patients (37.9% female) were enrolled from January to October 2020 (mean age 68 ± 12 years old). Mean duration of statin prescription was about 11 years (11.2 ± 6 years). The majority (431, 93.9%) of the patients reported lab tests yearly. The majority of the participants (406, 88.5%) were taking a statin as monotherapy of either low (11, 2.4%), medium (174, 37.9%) or high (221, 48.1%) potency. One tenth (50, 10.9%) were prescribed a combination of ezetimibe with a medium or high potency statin. Lastly, only three patients (0.7%) were prescribed a PCSK9 inhibitor. Approximately, one out of six patients had a LDL-C lower than 55mg/dL (78, 17.0%). As expected, the higher the potency of the statin, the higher the percentage of patients reaching the goal: low (1 of 11 patients, 9.1%), medium (21 of 174 patients, 12.1%) and high potency (45 of 221 patients, 20.4%). Moreover, nine out of the fifty the patients (18.0%) on ezetimibe combination therapy achieved the LDL-C goal. Lastly, two of the three patients (66.7%) on a PCSK9 inhibitor had attained the desired LDL-C level. No information could be collected regarding why patients not reaching the goal were not offered a statin of higher potency and/or dosing, a combination with ezetimibe or a PCSK9 inhibitor, accordingly. Disturbingly enough, none of the patient was aware that the LDL-C goals recommended by scientific societies had been lowered in 2019, although 71 patients (15.5%) could recall discussing LDL-C goals with their physician, even though none of the patients recalled the limit of 55mg/dL. The majority of the patients (427, 93.0%) reported that they would like to know their personal LDL-C goal.
Conclusions
Greek patients with established ASCVD taking statins are overall unaware of the novel set LDL-C goals. Hardly acceptable attainment of the LDL-C goal was observed. Further research is warranted to assess the barriers that obstruct a satisfactory goal achievement.
Abstract Figure. Patients achieving LDL-C goal