Hypercholesterolaemia control in Spain: The same situation with different regional realities

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Pharmacotherapy

Background:

• Healthcare competences are transferred to autonomous communities in Spain, leading to variability in cardiovascular prevention strategies.
• Effective management of dyslipidaemia is crucial for patients at high/very high cardiovascular risk (CVR).

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the control of dyslipidaemia in high/very high CVR patients across Spanish autonomous communities.
• To analyze the utilization of lipid-lowering pharmacological therapies in these patient groups by region.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study utilizing consensus methodology.
• Data collected from 145 health areas across 17 Spanish autonomous communities via physician questionnaires and face-to-face meetings.
• Aggregate data from 10 consecutive dyslipidaemic patients per physician were compiled.

Main Results:

• Out of 4010 patients, 649 (16%) had high CVR and 2458 (61%) had very high CVR.
• Significant inter-regional differences were observed in achieving target LDL cholesterol levels (<70 mg/dL for high CVR, <55 mg/dL for very high CVR).
• Variations in the use of high-intensity statins, ezetimibe, and PCSK9 inhibitors were noted across regions for both high and very high CVR patients.

Conclusions:

• Despite similar patient distributions, significant inter-territorial disparities exist in achieving LDL cholesterol targets.
• Regional differences in the application of lipid-lowering therapies highlight a need for standardized cardiovascular prevention strategies.