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Published on: September 26, 2018

Underutilisation of cardiovascular medications among at-risk individuals

S J Lewis1, J G Robinson, K M Fox

  • 1Northwest Cardiovascular Institute, Portland, OR, USA.

International Journal of Clinical Practice
|November 14, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Many individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and those experiencing new CVD events do not receive recommended therapies. Adherence to guideline-recommended antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and antiplatelet treatments remains suboptimal.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Pharmacotherapy

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines recommend antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and antiplatelet therapies.
  • Assessing the utilization of these therapies in at-risk populations is crucial for guideline adherence.
  • The SHIELD study provides insights into CVD therapy use among diverse risk groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the utilization of cardiovascular therapies in individuals at risk for CVD.
  • To assess adherence to recommended antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and antiplatelet treatments.
  • To identify gaps in CVD preventive therapy prescription.

Main Methods:

  • The SHIELD study classified respondents into National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III risk categories: high, moderate, and low.
  • Analysis included individuals with prior CVD events, new CVD events during follow-up, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  • Proportions of respondents receiving lipid-lowering, antiplatelet, or antihypertensive agents were calculated.

Main Results:

  • Lipid-lowering therapy use was low (<= 25%) across all risk groups.
  • Antithrombotic therapy use was minimal, even among those with prior CVD events.
  • Over 50% of at-risk individuals and over 33% of those with new CVD events were not on recommended CVD therapies.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of at-risk individuals and those with new CVD events are undertreated.
  • Suboptimal utilization of guideline-recommended CVD therapies highlights a critical gap in preventive care.
  • Further interventions are needed to improve adherence to CVD prevention guidelines.
Abstract

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