Effective Lipid-lowering Therapy Research Articles

Clinical Considerations for HealthcareProvider-Administered Lipid-Lowering Medications.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, is associated with a substantial healthcare and economic burden. Reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to guideline-recommended goals is crucial in the prevention or management of ASCVD, particularly in those at high risk. Despite the availability of several effective lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs), up to 80% of patients with ASCVD do not reach evidence-based LDL-C goals. This nonattainment may be due to poor adherence to, and lack oftimely utilization of, LLTs driven by a range of variables, including polypharmacy, side effects, clinical inertia, costs, and access issues. Inclisiran was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2021 as a novel, twice-yearly, healthcare provider (HCP)-administered LLT. In-office administration allows HCPs more control of drug acquisition, administration, and reimbursement, and may allow for more timely care and increased patient monitoring. In the USA, in-office administered drugs are considered a Medical Benefit and can be acquired and reimbursed using the "buy-and-bill" process. Buy-and-bill is a standard system for medication administration already established in multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, vaccines, and allergy/immunology. Initiating in-office administration will involve new considerations for clinicians in the cardiovascular specialty, such as the implementation of new infrastructure and processes; however, it could ultimately increase treatment adherence and improve cardiovascular outcomes for patients with ASCVD. This article discusses the potential implications of buy-and-bill for the cardiology specialty and provides a practical guide to implementing HCP-administered specialty drugs in US clinical practice.

Community Pharmacists Identification of Gaps in Care - Statin Utilization for Primary Prevention.

Background: Statins are a highly effective lipid-lowering therapy associated with significant reductions in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events and death. Despite these benefits, statins are underutilized. Pharmacist-led interventions to increase statin prescribing are effective. To our knowledge, no prior studies implemented a comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment utilizing point-of-care (POC) testing in community pharmacies. Objectives: The primary objective was to determine if community pharmacists can be utilized to identify gaps in care regarding appropriate use of statin therapy for prevention of ASCVD events in HPSAs. Secondary objectives were to assess public interest in ASCVD risk assessment and statin prescribing by the pharmacist, and to identify factors associated with statin gaps in care. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at three independent community pharmacies. Participants were identified based on age and medication history and were scheduled at their pharmacy to receive a comprehensive ASCVD risk screening consisting of POC measurement of a complete lipid panel, blood glucose or A1C, and blood pressure. Participants were informed of their statin candidacy at the screening. Participants completed a survey regarding perceptions of the services provided and opinions of statin prescribing by pharmacists. Results: Of the 57 participants, 43 (75.4%) were possible statin candidates. Most indicated trusting their pharmacist to prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication and felt insurance should pay for these screenings. Conclusion: ASCVD risk assessment conducted within the community pharmacy setting for can be utilized to identify treatment gaps in status use. Participants indicated trusting pharmacists to provide this service and found the service valuable.

Lipid-Lowering Therapy after Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Achieving guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. This review assesses the barriers to reaching LDL-C goals and explores the potential solutions to these issues. When aiming for the recommended LDL-C goal, strategies like "lower is better" and "strike early and strong" should be used. The evidence supports the safety and efficacy of intensive lipid-lowering therapy post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS), leading to improved long-term cardiovascular health and atherosclerotic plaque stabilization. Despite the availability of effective lipid-lowering therapies, such as high-intensity statins, ezetimibe, the combination of both, bempedoic acid, and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, a substantial proportion of patients do not meet their LDL-C targets. Contributing factors include systemic healthcare barriers, healthcare provider inertia, patient non-adherence, and statin intolerance. Statin intolerance, often rather statin reluctance, is a notable obstacle due to perceived or expected side effects, which can lead to discontinuation of therapy. In conclusion, while there are obstacles to achieving optimal LDL-C levels post-ACS, these can be overcome with a combination of patient-centric approaches, clinical vigilance, and the judicious use of available therapies. The safety and necessity of reaching lower LDL-C goals to improve outcomes in patients post-ACS are well-supported by current evidence.

Sympathetic Nervous System and Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is characterized by the narrowing of the arterial lumen due to subendothelial lipid accumulation, with hypercholesterolemia being a major risk factor. Despite the recent advances in effective lipid-lowering therapies, atherosclerosis remains the leading cause of mortality globally, highlighting the need for additional therapeutic strategies. Accumulating evidence suggests that the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in atherosclerosis. In this article, we reviewed the sympathetic innervation in the vasculature, norepinephrine synthesis and metabolism, sympathetic activity measurement, and common signaling pathways of sympathetic activation. The focus of this paper was to review the effectiveness of pharmacological antagonists or agonists of adrenoceptors (α1, α2, β1, β2, and β3) and renal denervation on atherosclerosis. All five types of adrenoceptors are present in arterial blood vessels. α1 blockers inhibit atherosclerosis but increase the risk of heart failure while α2 agonism may protect against atherosclerosis and newer generations of β blockers and β3 agonists are promising therapies against atherosclerosis; however, new randomized controlled trials are warranted to investigate the effectiveness of these therapies in atherosclerosis inhibition and cardiovascular risk reduction in the future. The role of renal denervation in atherosclerosis inhibition in humans is yet to be established.

ГИПЕРТРИГЛИЦЕРИДЕМИЯ И АТЕРОСКЛЕРОТИЧЕСКИЕ СЕРДЕЧНО- СОСУДИСТЫЕ ЗАБОЛЕВАНИЯ

Introduction. Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. An increase in the concentration of triglycerides indicates an elevated level of atherogenic lipoproteins, such as very low density lipoproteins, very low density lipoproteins residues and chylomicron residues. Lipoproteins rich in triglycerides increase the formation of foam cells, which is one of the key stages of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Aim. To analyze the results of modern studies on elevated triglycerides and cardiovascular diseases. Material and methods. A review of medical literature and current research for the period from 1965 to 2022, published in the databases eLibrary, Google Scholar, PubMed, devoted to the analysis of hypertriglyceridemia and its effect on atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases by the keywords «hypertriglyceridemia», «cardiovascular diseases», «atherosclerosis». Results and discussion. According to the Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases and their Risk Factors in Regions of Russian Federation study, an elevated level of triglyceride was found in 30.2±0.52% of men in the entire sample, which is significantly higher than in women (20.1±0.34%; p<0.0001). According to the largest epidemiological study (Framingham Study), a TG level of more than 1.7 mmol/l means a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular complications. A prospective study by The Prospective Cardiovascular Munster (PROCAM) showed that an increase in the concentration of triglycerides from 2.3 mmol/l to 9.00 mmol/l increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases., even after correction of other risk factors. Conclusion. Triglycerides play an important role in the development of atherosclerotic diseases of the cardiovascular system, regardless of the etiology of hypertriglyceridemia. And effective lipid-lowering therapy prescribed in time can increase the life expectancy of such patients

Regional differences in physicians' behavior and factors influencing the intensity of PCSK9 inhibitor therapy with alirocumab: a subanalysis of the ODYSSEY APPRISE study.

Despite better accessibility of the effective lipid-lowering therapies, only about 20% of patients at very high cardiovascular risk achieve the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals. There is a large disparity between European countries with worse results observed for the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) patients. One of the main reasons for this ineffectiveness is therapeutic inertia related to the limited access to appropriate therapy and suitable dosage intensity. Thus, we aimed to compare the differences in physicians' therapeutic decisions on alirocumab dose selection, and factors affecting these in CEE countries vs. other countries included in the ODYSSEY APPRISE study. ODYSSEY APPRISE was a prospective, single-arm, phase 3b open-label (≥12 weeks to ≤30 months) study with alirocumab. Patients received 75 or 150 mg of alirocumab every 2 weeks, with dose adjustment during the study based on physician's judgment. The CEE group in the study included Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, which we compared with the other nine European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland) plus Canada. A total of 921 patients on alirocumab were involved [modified intention-to-treat (mITT) analysis], including 114 (12.4%) subjects from CEE countries. Therapy in CEE vs. other countries was numerically more frequently started with lower alirocumab dose (75 mg) at the first visit (74.6 vs. 68%, p = 0.16). Since week 36, the higher dose was predominantly used in CEE patients (150 mg dose in 51.6% patients), which was maintained by the end of the study. Altogether, alirocumab dose was significantly more often increased by CEE physicians (54.1 vs. 39.9%, p = 0.013). Therefore, more patients achieved LDL-C goal at the end of the study (<55 mg/dl/1.4 mmol/L and 50% reduction of LDL-C: 32.5% vs. 28.8%). The only factor significantly influencing the decision on dose of alirocumab was LDL-C level for both countries' groups (CEE: 199.2 vs. 175.3 mg/dl; p = 0.019; other: 205.9 vs. 171.6 mg/dl; p < 0.001, for 150 and 75 mg of alirocumab, respectively) which was also confirmed in multivariable analysis (OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.07-1.13). Despite larger unmet needs and regional disparities in LDL-C targets achievement in CEE countries, more physicians in this region tend to use the higher dose of alirocumab, they are more prone to increase the dose, which is associated with a higher proportion of patients reaching LDL-C goals. The only factor that significantly influences decision whether to increase or decrease the dose of alirocumab is LDL-C level.

New Approaches for Targeting PCSK9: Small-Interfering Ribonucleic Acid and Genome Editing.

There is overwhelming clinical and genetic evidence supporting the concept that low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol should be as low as possible for as long as possible in patients at very high cardiovascular risk. Despite the wide availability of effective lipid-lowering therapies, the majority of patients still fail to reach guideline-based lipid goals. Advances in novel approaches targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) through small-interfering RNA and genome editing hold the potential to bridge this gap, by offering long-acting alternatives, which may overcome adherence and other challenges in the current chronic care model. In this review, we discuss the history of targeting PCSK9 with the use of mRNA and small-interfering ribonucleic acid. We also shed light on targeting PCSK9 with genome editing, including discussion of the VERVE-101 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-base editing medicine currently being evaluated in a clinical trial and others in development.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of using atorvastatin, simvastatin, ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab, inclisiran in adults with very high cardiovascular risk under the preferential drug provision program

Objective: to evaluate the clinical and economic feasibility of expanding the preferential drug provision (PDP) program for adult patients at very high cardiovascular (CV) risk, including those who have not reached lipid targets on statin therapy, by increasing the frequency of use of ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab and inclisiran used in combination with statins, compared with current PDP practice (use of atorvastatin, simvastatin and minimal use of other drugs).Material and methods. A Markov model was constructed to characterize the development of atherosclerotic heart disease in patients with very high CV risk and to suggest a consistent change in hypolipidemic therapy if it is ineffective. The model considered patients' compliance to drug therapy over time and the factor of non-prescription of any treatment. The modeling horizon was 30 years, and the model cycle was 1 year. The outcomes used were quality-adjusted life years (QALY), life years gained (LYG), and probabilities of various individual and combined CV events. The baseline modeling scenario was to increase the frequency of рroprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors’ prescriptions. In addition, alternative scenarios were modeled that included prescription of highly effective lipid-lowering therapy for all patients who had not reached target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on statin therapy, and the scenario with 100% compliance to statin therapy.Results. In comparison with current practice of treatment of patients with very high CV risk, clinical and economic modeling showed a decrease in the incidence of combined outcomes (combined CV events – by 8%, extended combined CV events – by 9%) and individual CV events (heart attack – by 4%, stroke – by 3%, unstable angina – by 2%, revascularization – by 3%) in the baseline scenario. In scenarios of prescribing PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran to all patients who have not reached target values of LDL-C on statin therapy, the frequency of individual events ranged from 4% to 8%. In the scenario, which also implies 100% drug compliance, the reduction was from 8% to 17% compared with current patient management practices, characterized by lower frequency of hypolipidemic drugs, including PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for QALY in the baseline scenario was 3,598,156 rubles, the ICER for LYG was 1,949,393 rubles. When comparing the ICER with willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold in the Russian Federation (calculated as three times the gross domestic product per capita and in 2022 amounting to 2.8 million rubles per effect unit) the ICER for LYG did not exceed the WTP in all scenarios, while the ICER for QALY exceeded the WTP by 29–44%, depending on the realized scenario.Conclusion. Expanding the PDP program for high CV risk patients will have a positive impact on their quality of life and life expectancy, as well as significantly reduce the likelihood of acute CV events. Comparison of ICER with estimated WTP suggests that expansion of the PBP program is a cost-effective organizational technology according to LYG criterion, but not according to the QALY criterion.

The impact of effective lipid-lowering therapy on the prognosis in patients who have suffered ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

The impact of effective lipid-lowering therapy on the prognosis in patients who have suffered ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Current Treatment Options in Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is the rare form of familial hypercholesterolemia causing extremely high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, leading to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the first decades of life, if left untreated. Early diagnosis and effective lipid lowering therapy (LLT) are crucial for the prevention of early ASCVD in patients with HoFH. On-treatment LDL-C levels are the best predictor of survival. However, due to the absent or defective LDL-receptor activity, most individuals with HoFH are resistant to conventional LLT, that leads to LDL-C clearance by upregulating LDL-receptors. We are at the dawn of a new era of effective pharmacotherapies for HoFH patients, with new agents providing an LDL-receptor independent cholesterol reduction. In this context, the present review provides a summary of the currently available therapies and emerging therapeutic agents for the management of patients with HoFH, in light of recent evidence and guideline recommendations.

Targeted Treatment against Lipoprotein (a): The Coming Breakthrough in Lipid Lowering Therapy.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) are a very important cause of premature death. The most important risk factor for ASCVD is lipid disorders. The incidence of lipid disorders and ASCVD is constantly increasing, which means that new methods of prevention and treatment of these diseases are still being searched for. In the management of patients with lipid disorders, the primary goal of therapy is to lower the serum LDL-C concentration. Despite the available effective lipid-lowering therapies, the risk of ASCVD is still increased in some patients. A high level of serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) is a risk factor for ASCVD independent of serum LDL-C concentration. About 20% of Europeans have elevated serum Lp(a) levels, requiring treatment to reduce serum Lp(a) concentrations in addition to LDL-C. Currently available lipid lowering drugs do not sufficiently reduce serum Lp(a) levels. Hence, drugs based on RNA technology, such as pelacarsen, olpasiran, SLN360 and LY3819469, are undergoing clinical trials. These drugs are very effective in lowering the serum Lp(a) concentration and have a satisfactory safety profile, which means that in the near future they will fill an important gap in the armamentarium of lipid-lowering drugs.

Accuracy and Clinical Impact of Estimating Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol at High and Low Levels by Different Equations.

New more effective lipid-lowering therapies have made it important to accurately determine Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) at both high and low levels. LDL-C was measured by the β-quantification reference method (BQ) (N = 40,346) and compared to Friedewald (F-LDL-C), Martin (M-LDL-C), extended Martin (eM-LDL-C) and Sampson (S-LDL-C) equations by regression analysis, error-grid analysis, and concordance with the BQ method for classification into different LDL-C treatment intervals. For triglycerides (TG) &lt; 175 mg/dL, the four LDL-C equations yielded similarly accurate results, but for TG between 175 and 800 mg/dL, the S-LDL-C equation when compared to the BQ method had a lower mean absolute difference (mg/dL) (MAD = 10.66) than F-LDL-C (MAD = 13.09), M-LDL-C (MAD = 13.16) or eM-LDL-C (MAD = 12.70) equations. By error-grid analysis, the S-LDL-C equation for TG &gt; 400 mg/dL not only had the least analytical errors but also the lowest frequency of clinically relevant errors at the low (&lt;70 mg/dL) and high (&gt;190 mg/dL) LDL-C cut-points (S-LDL-C: 13.5%, F-LDL-C: 23.0%, M-LDL-C: 20.5%) and eM-LDL-C: 20.0%) equations. The S-LDL-C equation also had the best overall concordance to the BQ reference method for classifying patients into different LDL-C treatment intervals. The S-LDL-C equation is both more analytically accurate than alternative equations and results in less clinically relevant errors at high and low LDL-C levels.

From regression to stabilization: new insights into the evolution of coronary atherosclerotic plaque

Coronary artery atherosclerosis is a constantly evolving disease. Over the years, new drug therapies have been shown to reduce adverse cardiovascular events and improve the survival of patients with coronary artery disease. New intracoronary imaging modalities, including intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, and near-infrared spectroscopy, have been introduced to detect the anatomic changes which follow an effective lipid-lowering therapy in human coronary plaques. Particularly, the use of optical coherence tomography made it possible to evaluate plaque composition and showed how an intensive lipid-lowering therapy can stabilize atherosclerosis by improving vulnerable plaque features. Future non-invasive applications are required for large-scale use of these findings.

Nonadherence to lipid-lowering therapy and strategies to improve adherence in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Despite the availability of effective therapies that lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, many eligible patients are inadequately treated and their LDL-C levels remain suboptimal. Patient nonadherence to lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) is a major contributor to the failure of LDL-C goal attainment. Several factors have been identified as contributing to LLT nonadherence, including healthcare disparities due to socioeconomic status, age, race, sex, and cost; limited access to healthcare; perceived side effects associated with LLT; health literacy; and the presence of comorbidities. Suboptimal LLT use has also been associated with clinician factors, including failure to identify patients who require LDL-C reassessment, insufficient LDL-C monitoring, and clinical inertia such as a lack of therapy intensification. Several strategies to enhance LLT adherence have been shown to be effective, including the implementation of educational initiatives and tools for both patients and physicians, the use of clinical protocols and algorithms to identify patients at risk and optimize treatment, and improvements in electronic healthcare records. Pharmacy-based programs designed to help patients with prescription refills, including reminders or the use of prescription delivery by mail, have also proven effective. Drugs requiring frequent administration can represent a barrier to treatment adherence; therefore, newer, more effective LLTs with lower frequency of administration and lower potential for polypharmacy may improve patient adherence to LLT. Implementation of strategies to identify patients at risk for LLT nonadherence and the use of flexible tools such as telemedicine to overcome geographical barriers may improve LLT adherence.

European, Russian and American Clinical Guidelines on dyslipidemias management – where do we stand? European, Russian, and US guidelines on dyslipidemias

Current clinical guidelines on lipid metabolism disorders are represented by the integration of relevant multicenter observational studies and registries aimed to identify best strategies in cardiovascular risk stratification, diagnostics and treatment of dyslipidemias. The approaches outlined in the European, Russian and American clinical guidelines look relevant to each other despite a range slightly different postulates, as they all demonstrate a general tendency to the importance of accurate risk stratification of patients and timely action on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels when using effective lipid-lowering therapy.

Effect of effective lipid-lowering therapy on postinfarction cardiac remodeling

Effect of effective lipid-lowering therapy on postinfarction cardiac remodeling

Cascade screening for familial hypercholesterolemia should be organized at a national level.

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) have a markedly increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease. However, there are effective lipid-lowering therapies available to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This makes it important to diagnose these patients. The most cost-effective strategy to diagnose patients with FH is to perform cascade screening. However, cascade screening as part of ordinary healthcare has not been very successful. Thus, there is a need to implement more efficient cascade screening strategies. Cascade screening for FH should be organized at a national level and should be run by dedicated health personnel such as genetic counsellors. As part of a national organization a national registry of patients with FH needs to be established. Moreover, for cascade screening to be effective, diagnosis of FH must be based on identifying the underlying mutation. There should preferably only be one genetics centre in each country for diagnosing FH, and this genetics centre should be an integrated part of the national cascade screening program. Cascade screening for FH is very effective and should be organized at a national level. Even a modest national cascade screening program can result in a large number of patients being identified.

Abstract 172: Disparities In Pcsk9 Inhibitor Initiation Among Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease Or Cerebrovascular Disease: A Cohort Study Of 500,000 Patients With Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease.

Background: Effective lipid lowering therapy reduces deaths due to atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASCVD). Proprotein convertase subtilsin/kexin type 9 inhibitor (PCSK9i) drugs have emerged as effective add-on therapy to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Although the use of PCSK9i is limited by cost, PCSK9i use in a low-cost healthcare system [Veteran Health Affairs (VHA)] is unknown. Methods: We queried a cohort of US Veterans with coronary artery disease (CAD), PAD or CeVD receiving outpatient care (January 2016 – December 2019) at 124 VHA medical centers to evaluate the initiation of PCSK9i. We fit a mixed effects logistic regression model [with results presented as odds ratio (OR)] to evaluate the association of social deprivation (assessed by median household income and community deprivation index), the patient’s primary diagnosis and VHA medical center enrollment with PCSK9i initiation. Findings: From 519,566 patients (median age 74 years), 337,766 (65%), 79,926 (15%) and 101,874 (20%) had CAD, PAD and CeVD. Among 2,115/519,566 (0.4%) initiated with PCSK9i therapy, 84.3% had CAD, while only 7.2% and 8.5% had PAD and CeVD respectively. PCSK9i initiation was lower in those earning $40,000 - $80,000 [OR 1.13 (1.01 – 1.27)] or &gt; $80,000 [OR 1.41 (1.14 – 1.75)]. Even moderate community deprivation [OR 0.87 (0.77 – 0.97)] was associated with lower PCSK9i therapy. Compared to CAD patients, PAD [OR 0.50 (0.35 – 0.70)] and CeVD [OR 0.23 (0.15 – 0.37)] were less likely to receive PCSK9i. Interpretation: Despite low co-pay, PCSK9i initiation rates among US veterans, nationwide, is very low. PAD and CeVD patients are much less likely to receive PCSK9i therapy. Household income and community deprivation influence PCSK9i use.

Hypercholesterolemia in children and adolescents: focus on the familial variant

Familial hypercholesterolemia is characterized by a significant increase in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, which even in the absence of other risk factors leads to the development of atherosclerotic vascular lesions beginning in childhood. With significant prevalence in the population, familial hypercholesterolemia is rarely diagnosed in time due to the Long absence of clinical manifestations. Today the urgent task is to develop and implement programs of primary detection of familial hypercholesterolemia in children and adolescents. Early detection of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and timely initiation of adequate lipid-lowering therapy will curb the rate of atherosclerosis progression, which will significantly reduce disability and mortality from cardiovascular diseases in older age groups. There are four types of screening: cascade, targeted, opportunistic and universal. Cascade screening is currently considered the most effective and cost-effective way to identify new patients with familial hypercholesterolemia among relatives of an index patient, the patient with the established diagnosis. Targeted screening is based on searching for individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia among groups of patients with the early development of atherosclerotic vascular lesions, for example, in cardiology or neurology hospitals. Opportunistic screening is a non-systematic, sporadic determination of cholesterol levels in patients seeking medical care for any reason. It is most applicable in primary care health care settings. Universal screening is a mass screening of certain age groups and is a highly effective way of early diagnosis, especially in combination with reverse cascade screening of parents, siblings, and other relatives of the index patient. Implementation of programs of early childhood detection of familial hypercholesterolemia, setting up systems of adequate routing of patients, timely prescription of effective lipid-lowering therapy will contribute to health preservation and prolongation of working age, development, and preservation of labor potential of the country.

Main differences between two highly effective lipid-lowering therapies in subclasses of lipoproteins in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BackgroundLarge observational studies have shown that small, dense LDL subfractions are related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This study assessed the effects of two highly effective lipid-lowering therapies in the atherogenic subclasses of lipoproteins in subjects with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).MethodsPatients of both sexes admitted with their first myocardial infarction and submitted to pharmacoinvasive strategy (N = 101) were included and randomized using a central computerized system to receive a daily dose of simvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg or rosuvastatin 20 mg for 30 days. Intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions were analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Lipoprint System) on the first (D1) and 30th days (D30) of lipid-lowering therapy. Changes in LDL and IDL subfractions between D1 and D30 were compared between the lipid-lowering therapies (Mann-Whitney U test).ResultsThe classic lipid profile was similar in both therapy arms at D1 and D30. At D30, the achievement of lipid goals was comparable between lipid-lowering therapies. Cholesterol content in atherogenic subclasses of LDL (p = 0.043) and IDL (p = 0.047) decreased more efficiently with simvastatin plus ezetimibe than with rosuvastatin.ConclusionsLipid-lowering therapy with simvastatin plus ezetimibe was associated with a better pattern of lipoprotein subfractions than rosuvastatin monotherapy. This finding was noted despite similar effects in the classic lipid profile and may contribute to residual cardiovascular risk.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02428374, registered on 28/09/2014.