Updated guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia and prevention of cardiovascular disease by pharmacists.

Abstract

Cardiovascular (CV) disease continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality—coronary disease and cerebrovascular disease are the second and third leading causes of death, respectively, in Canada.1 In 2007, a set of dyslipidemia guidelines tailored to pharmacists based on the 2006 Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) recommendations was published in the Canadian Pharmacists Journal.2 Since then, pharmacists in many provinces have expanded their scope of practice, including in some cases the ability to independently prescribe or modify existing therapies and order laboratory tests. There is growing evidence that pharmacist intervention in the management of dyslipidemia leads to improvements in lipid management.3 Moreover, expanding evidence in the realm of dyslipidemia, including trials in previously understudied populations (chronic kidney disease), innovations in CV risk communication (Cardiovascular Age) and increased awareness of the adverse effect profile of statins led to the publication of the 2012 update of the CCS guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemia for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in the adult.4 In this article, we provide an update based on the current CCS guidelines, with practical tips for pharmacists.