scholarly journals 2019 vs. 2016 ESC/EAS statin guidelines for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (31) ◽  
pp. 3005-3015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Bødtker Mortensen ◽  
Børge Grønne Nordestgaard

Abstract Aims The 2019 vs. 2016 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) dyslipidaemia guidelines contains new recommendations for primary prevention with statins; however, the potential impact of these changes is unclear. We compared the 2019 and 2016 guidelines regarding statin eligibility and potential impact on prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the general population. Methods and results We examined 45 750 individuals aged 40–75 from the Copenhagen General Population Study, all free of ASCVD and statin use at baseline. During the 9.2-year follow-up, 3337 experienced ASCVD (myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death). For Class I/A recommendations, 32.3% (95% confidence interval: 31.8–32.7) and 15.4% (15.1–15.7) of individuals were statin eligible according to the 2019 and 2016 guidelines. The increased statin eligibility by the 2019 guidelines was explained by lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) thresholds alone (explaining 33.2%), older age range alone (49.4%), older age range in combination with lower LDL-C thresholds (14.7%), and updated SCORE risk algorithm (2.8%). If fully implemented, the estimated percentage of ASCVD events that can be prevented by using high-intensity statins for 10 years were 25% and 11% with the 2019 and 2016 guidelines. Mainly because of older age range in the 2019 guidelines, the corresponding estimated numbers needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one ASCVD event were 19 and 20. Conclusion Due to lower LDL-C threshold and older age range, the 2019 vs. 2016 ESC/EAS guidelines doubles the number of individuals eligible for primary prevention with statins. This considerably improves the potential for ASCVD prevention in the general population, with similar NNT to prevent one event.

2019 ◽  
Vol 144 (05) ◽  
pp. 322-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika Sanin ◽  
Wolfgang Koenig

AbstractAtherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature mortality and morbidity worldwide. Dyslipidemia is a commonly encountered clinical condition and is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease. The causality of plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease has been established beyond any reasonable doubt. In this context, individual risk estimation, the determination of target values and lipid-lowering strategies represent an essential part and a challenge in the daily clinical practice to prevent cardiovascular events. Statins are recommended as first-line therapy for patients with hypercholesterolemia in secondary prevention. Controversies remain in the context of primary prevention, however, as to which kind of subjects to treat, the magnitude of the benefit, and potential harm. This article gives a brief overview of the current evidence, guideline recommendations and strategies for lowering of LDL-C in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato Quispe ◽  
Seth S Martin ◽  
Erin D Michos ◽  
Isha Lamba ◽  
Roger S Blumenthal ◽  
...  

Introduction: Emerging evidence suggests that remnant cholesterol (RC) promotes future atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. Our aim was to estimate the risk associated with RC beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (apoB). Hypothesis: RC provides incremental prognostic information regarding incident ASCVD, independent of LDL-C and apoB. Methods: We pooled data from 17,532 individuals from Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (n=9,748), Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (n=3,049) and Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (n=4,735), who were ASCVD-free at baseline and had measurements of lipids, apoB and apolipoprotein A1. RC was calculated as non-high-density cholesterol (non-HDL-C) minus LDL-C estimated by the Martin/Hopkins equation. Adjusted Cox models were used to estimate the risk for incident ASCVD associated with log RC levels. We also performed discordance analyses examining relative ASCVD risk in discordant/concordant groups of RC and LDL-C across median cutpoints and cutpoints of percentile equivalence to LDL-C targets (70 and 100 mg/dL). Results: Mean age of participants was 52.3±17.9 years, 56.7% women and 34% black. There were 2,143 ASCVD events over median follow-up of 18.7 years. After multivariable adjustment including apoB and HDL-C, logRC was associated with higher ASCVD risk [HR 1.42, 95% CI (1.23-1.63)]. In discordance analyses, the high RC and low LDL-C group (≥/<median) was associated with increased ASCVD risk compared to the low/low concordant group [1.17, (1.01-1.35)] but the low RC and high LDL-C group was not. Similar results were shown when examining discordance across lower cutpoints. Conclusion: In ASCVD-free individuals, elevated RC levels were associated with ASCVD independent of traditional risk factors and LDL-C and apoB levels. RC assessment and management in primary prevention, beyond LDL-C and apoB, is useful and requires further scrutiny.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 857
Author(s):  
Josep Julve ◽  
Joan Carles Escolà-Gil

Epidemiological studies have shown that low levels of plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) [...]


Author(s):  
Ruihai Zhou ◽  
George A. Stouffer ◽  
Sidney C. Smith

Hypercholesterolemia is a well-established risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been labeled as “bad” cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as “good” cholesterol. The prevailing hypothesis is that lowering blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL-C, reduces vascular deposition and retention of cholesterol or apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins which are atherogenic. We review herein the clinical trial data on different pharmacological approaches to lowering blood cholesterol and propose that the mechanism of action of cholesterol lowering, as well as the amplitude of cholesterol reduction, are critically important in leading to improved clinical outcomes in ASCVD. The effects of bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, apolipoprotein A-I and HDL mimetics, apoB regulators, acyl coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitors, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, statins, and proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, among other strategies are reviewed. Clinical evidence supports that different classes of cholesterol lowering or lipoprotein regulating approaches yielded variable effects on ASCVD outcomes, especially in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Statins are the most widely used cholesterol lowering agents and have the best proven cardiovascular event and survival benefits. Manipulating cholesterol levels by specific targeting of apoproteins or lipoproteins has not yielded clinical benefit. Understanding why lowering LDL-C by different approaches varies in clinical outcomes of ASCVD, especially in survival benefit, may shed further light on our evolving understanding of how cholesterol and its carrier lipoproteins are involved in ASCVD and aid in developing effective pharmacological strategies to improve the clinical outcomes of ASCVD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Fairbairn ◽  
P Oh ◽  
R Goeree ◽  
R.M Rogoza ◽  
M Packalen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Introduction Limited real-world data are available on attainment of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment goals in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in Canada. Purpose A retrospective observational study was conducted to describe types of ASCVD events/procedures, time between events and use of lipid lowering treatment (LLT) in patients who did not achieve LDL-C goal. Methods Patients in Ontario ≥65 years with a primary ASCVD event/procedure between 1 Apr 2005 and 31 Mar 2016, treated with an LLT and with index and follow up LDL-C values were identified from claims data at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences data repository. Patients were assessed over a 1-year follow up period for LDL-C goal attainment (&lt;2.0 mmol/L or 50% reduction from index LDL-C) and analysed by LLT and by index event type. Results Overall, 28% of 143,302 patients ≥65 years on LLT failed to attain LDL-C goal at follow up (Figure). The proportion of patients failing to achieve LDL-C goal decreased from 35% to 22% over the 11-year study period. Mean time between index and follow up LDL-C (based on lowest score &gt;2 weeks and up to 1 year after index LDL-C) was 203±97 days. When analysed by low-, moderate- or high-intensity statin, 57%, 30%, and 22% of patients failed to achieve LDL-C goal at follow up, respectively. Conclusions In this study, more than 1 in 4 patients with ASCVD in Ontario failed to achieve guideline recommended LDL-C goal despite treatment. In particular, ∼1 in 3 patients with cerebral and peripheral arterial disease were not at goal. An opportunity exists to better manage these high risk ASCVD patients with further statin intensification and additional LLTs This study made use of de-identified data from the ICES Data Repository, which is managed by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences with support from its funders and partners: Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), the Ontario SPOR Support Unit, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Government of Ontario. The opinions, results and conclusions reported are those of the authors. No endorsement by ICES or any of its funders or partners is intended or should be inferred. Parts of this material are based on data and/or information compiled and provided by CIHI. However, the analyses, conclusions, opinions and statements expressed in the material are those of the author(s), and not necessarily those of CIHI Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): Amgen Canada Inc.


2020 ◽  
pp. 204748732094010
Author(s):  
Konstantinos C Koskinas ◽  
Baris Gencer ◽  
David Nanchen ◽  
Mattia Branca ◽  
David Carballo ◽  
...  

Aims The 2018 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) and 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) lipid guidelines recently updated their recommendations regarding proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 inhibitors (PCSK9i). We assessed the potential eligibility for PCSK9i according to the new guidelines in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Methods and results We analysed a contemporary, prospective Swiss cohort of patients hospitalised for acute coronary syndromes. We modelled a statin intensification effect and an incremental ezetimibe effect on low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels among patients who were not on high-intensity statins or ezetimibe. One year after the index acute coronary syndrome event, treatment eligibility for PCSK9i was defined as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol of 1.4 mmol/l or greater according to ESC/EAS guidelines. For ACC/AHA guidelines, treatment eligibility was defined as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol of 1.8 mmol/l or greater in the presence of very high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, defined by multiple major atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events and/or high-risk conditions. Of 2521 patients, 93.2% were treated with statins (53% high-intensity statins) and 7.3% with ezetimibe at 1 year, and 54.9% had very high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels less than 1.8 mmol/l and less than 1.4 mmol/l at 1 year were observed in 37.5% and 15.7% of patients, respectively. After modelling the statin intensification and ezetimibe effects, these numbers increased to 76.1% and 49%, respectively. The proportion of patients eligible for PCSK9i was 51% according to ESC/EAS criteria versus 14% according to ACC/AHA criteria. Conclusions In this analysis, the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines rendered half of all post-acute coronary syndrome patients potentially eligible for PCSK9i treatment, as compared to a three-fold lower eligibility rate based on the 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines.


BMJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. n776
Author(s):  
Khurram Nasir ◽  
Miguel Cainzos-Achirica

Abstract First developed in 1990, the Agatston coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is an international guideline-endorsed decision aid for further risk assessment and personalized management in the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This review discusses key international studies that have informed this 30 year journey, from an initial coronary plaque screening paradigm to its current role informing personalized shared decision making. Special attention is paid to the prognostic value of a CAC score of zero (the so called “power of zero”), which, in a context of low estimated risk thresholds for the consideration of preventive therapy with statins in current guidelines, may be used to de-risk individuals and thereby inform the safe delay or avoidance of certain preventive therapies. We also evaluate current recommendations for CAC scoring in clinical practice guidelines around the world, and past and prevailing barriers for its use in routine patient care. Finally, we discuss emerging approaches in this field, with a focus on the potential role of CAC informing not only the personalized allocation of statins and aspirin in the general population, but also of other risk-reduction therapies in special populations, such as individuals with diabetes and people with severe hypercholesterolemia.


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