Cardiology clinic visit increases likelihood of evidence-based cholesterol prescribing in severe hypercholesterolemia

Patients with phenotypic severe hypercholesterolemia (SH), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) ≥ 190 mg/dl, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or adults 40-75 years with diabetes with risk factors or 10-year ASCVD risk ≥20% benefit from maximally tolerated statin therapy. Rural patients have decreased access to specialty care, potentially limiting appropriate treatment.

Prior visit with cardiology will improve treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia.

We used an electronic medical record-based SH registry defined as ever having an LDL-c ≥ 190 mg/dl since January 1, 2000 (n = 18 072). We excluded 3205 (17.7%) patients not alive or age 20-75 years. Patients defined as not seen by cardiology if they had no visit within the past 3 years (2017-2019).

We included 14 867 patients (82.3%; mean age 59.7 ± 10.3 years; 58.7% female). Most patients were not seen by cardiology (n = 13 072; 72.3%). After adjusting for age, sex, CVD, hypertension, diabetes and obesity, patients seen by cardiology were more likely to have any lipid-lowering medication (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.29-1.65), high-intensity statin (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.61-2.03), or proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor (OR = 5.96, 95% CI: 3.34-10.65) compared to those not seen by cardiology. Mean recent LDL-c was lower in patients seen by cardiology (126.8 ± 51.6 mg/dl vs. 152.4 ± 50.2 mg/dl, respectively; p < .001).

In our predominantly rural population, a visit with cardiology improved the likelihood to be prescribed any statin, a high-intensity statin, or PCSK9 inhibitor. This more appropriately addressed their high life-time risk of ASCVD. Access to specialty care could improve SH patient's outcomes.