[In what extend we can reach the current LDL-cholesterol treatment goals in secondary prevention]

A number of clinical trials have shown that patients with overt atherovascular disease may benefit from more aggressive dosage of statins. We aimed to determined the usual dosage of statin in clinical practice and the adherence to recommended target concentration of LDL-cholesterol.

We analyzed 948 patients with mean age 64.5 years (SD ± 9.0) after acute coronary syndrome and/or coronary revascularization (Czech samples of EUROASPIRE III and IV). In spite that more than 93 % of patients were in 2012/2013 treated with statin, only 2.4 % with the highest dose (atorvastatin 80 mg or equivalent). On the other hand, medium-dosed statin (atorvastatin 40 mg) was more often prescribed, in comparison to 2006/2007. We observed mild improvement in adherence to former LDL-cholesterol target < 2.5 mmol/l (from 54 % to 65 %), but the recent target < 1.8 mmol/l was reached only in less than one quarter of patients in 2012/2013. It can be approximate (using individual LDL-cholesterol values), that after maximal possible up-titration of statin, the adherence to recent LDL-cholesterol target may improve up to 43 %.

Although the majority of CHD patients are currently being treated with statin, the usual dosage regimen and adherence to the recommended target values were not consistent with current therapeutic standards for secondary prevention of CHD.