Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs in Cardiac Rehabilitation
Author Information
Author(s): Francesca Saladini, Stefania Baggio, Federica Marcato, Francesco Campisi, Roberto Verlato, Giampaolo Pasquetto, Emanuele Bertaglia, Gaetano Povolo, Paolo Buja, Nicola Ferri
Primary Institution: Cittadella Town Hospital and Camposampiero Town Hospital, Italy
Hypothesis
The study aims to investigate the prescriptive appropriateness of cholesterol-lowering drugs among patients who experienced an atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
Conclusion
The study confirms the importance of properly calculating cardiovascular risk profiles and highlights the under-prescription of lipid-lowering drugs.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 36.0% of patients had LDL < 55 mg/dL after treatment.
- 79.4% of group 1 patients were treated with high-intensity statins.
- 44.1% of group 1 patients presented a high risk of CV events.
- Only 5.1% of group 1 patients had a low/moderate risk according to risk calculators.
- PCSK9 inhibitors were underused, prescribed mainly for patients with a second CV event.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well doctors are prescribing cholesterol-lowering medications to heart patients and found that many patients aren't getting the right treatment.
Methodology
A retrospective analysis of medical records from patients who underwent cardiac rehabilitation after ASCVD in 2020, following ESC guidelines.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include underestimation of cardiovascular risk and clinical inertia in prescribing appropriate medications.
Limitations
The study is retrospective, with limited data on patient adherence and a small sample size due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 66.1 years, with 88.4% being male; high prevalence of overweight, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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