Prognostic Utility of Risk Enhancers and Coronary Artery Calcium Score Recommended in the 2018 ACC/AHA Multisociety Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines Over the Pooled Cohort Equation: Insights From 3 Large Prospective Cohorts

Background Limited data exist on the incremental value of the risk enhancers recommended in the 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (ACC/AHA) cholesterol treatment guidelines in addition to the pooled cohort equation. Methods and Results Using pooled individual‐level data from 3 epidemiological cohorts involving 22 942 participants (56% women, mean age 59 years), we evaluated the predictive ability of the risk enhancers and coronary artery calcium (CAC) score for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and determined their incremental utility using the C statistic, net reclassification index, and integrated discrimination index. A total of 1960 (8.5%) atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events were accrued over 10 years. Of the 10 risk enhancers evaluated, only 6 predicted atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease independent of the pooled cohort equation. However, the individual enhancers demonstrated little or no incremental benefit. There was more incremental value from combining the 6 enhancers into an aggregate score (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08–1.37 for each additional enhancer), and having ≥3 enhancers represents an optimum threshold for incremental prediction (C statistic, 0.766; net reclassification index, 0.041; integrated discrimination index, 0.010; P ≤0.007). On the other hand, CAC was superior to individual enhancers (C statistic, 0.774; net reclassification index, 0.073; integrated discrimination index, 0.010; P <0.001), reliably reclassifies intermediate‐risk participants with <3 risk enhancers (event rate, 3.5% if no CAC and 9.8% if positive CAC), but offered no reclassification among participants with ≥3 enhancers. Conclusions The individual risk enhancers evaluated in this study provided no or only marginal incremental information added to the pooled cohort equation. However, the presence of ≥3 risk enhancers reliably identified intermediate‐risk patients that will benefit from statin therapy, and further CAC testing may be considered among those with <3 risk enhancers.

PCSK9 inhibitors for the management of dyslipidemia in people with Type 2 Diabetes: How low is too low?

: Diabetic patients are considered as high risk for development of atherosclerotic disease. Cholesterol treatment is of paramount importance in order to optimise cardiovascular outcomes in this subset of patients. Although statins are regarded as the mainstay of treatment, these may not be tolerated or as efficacious as they should be. Recently the advent of PCSK-9 inhibitors has drawn attention in the management of dyslipidemias. In this review we discuss current trends in their use and we focus in their role in diabetic dyslipidemia management.