Use and persistence of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia: A prospective study

Statins are the first line of treatment in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia (SH). However, despite the knowledge regarding its effectiveness and security for preventing cardiovascular diseases, treatment is a major challenge.

A prospective observational study was conducted by telephone survey to determine cardiovascular risk factors, annual monitoring, statins use and persistence and new-onset cardiovascular events (CVE) after 5 years in patients with SH including in a program for detection of familial hypercholesterolemia.

115 participants were analysed, the median age was 56 ±10 being 74% females. 63.4% of women and 43% of men had been correctly controlled in the last year. Patients on lipid lowering drugs stratified by sex was 38.8% in women and 26.7% in men, however, only 22 participants (31.8%) were persistence with statins since 2015.Overall, 48% of the patients presented a CVE and 3.4% died. Multivariate analysis did not reveal predictors for CVE.

In our population with SH we found a high risk to present a CVE and a dramatic low use and persistence with the treatment.