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Cholesterol lowering in atherosclerosis
1Atlanta VA Medical Center, Medical Service, Decatur, Georgia 30033, USA.
Insights
Statin therapy significantly lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, reducing cardiovascular events and improving survival in patients with coronary artery disease. However, many patients do not achieve recommended LDL goals, indicating undertreatment with statins.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Lipid-lowering therapy with statins is proven to reduce cardiovascular disease progression, myocardial infarction, and mortality.
- Lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) demonstrably reduces cardiovascular events, with lower LDL levels correlating to lower event rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current evidence supporting LDL cholesterol reduction goals in patients with CAD.
- To discuss the implications of the Treating to New Targets study on LDL cholesterol targets.
- To highlight the gap between current NCEP recommendations and actual clinical practice regarding statin therapy.
Main Methods:
- Review of large-scale clinical trials on statin therapy and lipid-lowering.
- Analysis of data regarding achievement of National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) lipid goals in patients with CAD.
- Discussion of the potential benefits of further LDL cholesterol reduction.
Main Results:
- Current evidence supports NCEP recommendations to lower LDL cholesterol to at least 100 mg/dL in patients with CAD.
- A significant percentage of patients with CAD (up to 82%) do not meet current NCEP lipid goals.
- A substantial proportion of patients (up to 55%) require more than a 30 mg/dL reduction in LDL cholesterol to reach the NCEP goal.
Conclusions:
- Many patients with coronary artery disease are not adequately treated with statins or receive insufficient doses to meet lipid goals.
- Aggressive lipid lowering, while beneficial, is not yet standard practice despite evidence supporting its efficacy.
- Further research, such as the Treating to New Targets study, is needed to determine optimal LDL cholesterol targets for maximal cardiovascular event reduction.
Abstract:
Lipid-lowering with statins reduces disease progression, prevents myocardial infarction and other hard end points, and prolongs survival. Data from large-scale trials with these agents further show that lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in patients with coronary artery disease reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events and that the lower the LDL cholesterol achieved, the lower the event rate. Currently available evidence supports the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommendations for reduction of LDL-cholesterol levels to at least 100 mg/dL in patients with coronary artery disease. The Treating to New Targets study, which will evaluate the effects of LDL-cholesterol lowering to < or = 75 mg/dL with atorvastatin, may help clarify if additional benefit accrues with further reductions. However, up to 82% of patients with proven coronary disease are not even at the current NCEP lipid goal. Up to 55% need a > 30-mg/dL reduction in LDL cholesterol to reach that goal. These data suggest that many patients are not receiving a statin or are receiving an inadequate dose. Aggressive lipid lowering, although a desirable goal, does not yet appear to be standard practice.