Towards a More Personalized Treatment of Dyslipidemias to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Area of Science:

• Pharmacogenomics
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Genetics

Background:

• Statins are primary treatments for lowering LDL cholesterol and reducing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk.
• A notable portion of patients experience adverse effects from statins, impacting adherence and treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of genetics in predicting statin-induced side effects.
• To explore genetic insights into statin therapy success and individual patient responses.

Main Methods:

• Review of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for genetic markers associated with statin effects.
• Evaluation of genetic risk scores as a method for patient stratification.

Main Results:

• Genome-wide association studies have identified numerous genetic markers for statin effects, but their individual predictive power is limited.
• Genetic risk scores are emerging as a more effective strategy for predicting individual variability in statin response.

Conclusions:

• While single genetic markers have shown limited success, genetic risk scores hold significant promise for personalizing statin therapy.
• Genetics can offer valuable insights into managing statin side effects and optimizing cardiovascular disease treatment.