Lalić K, Rajković N, Popović L, Lukač SS, Stošić L, Rasulić I, Lalić NM. The effects of 3-year statin therapy and the achievement of LDL cholesterol target values in familial hypercholesterolemia patients: An experience from Serbia.
Atherosclerosis 2019;
277:298-303. [PMID:
30270062 DOI:
10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.08.014]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Despite the use of statins, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients often have increased LDL-cholesterol (Ch) and high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This study aimed to analyze the effect of statin therapy on attainment of LDL-Ch treatment targets and appearance of new ASCVD and diabetes in FH patients.
METHODS
This study is a retrospective analysis of data from medical records of 302 FH patients treated continuously with statins during 3 years. At baseline and once yearly, anthropometric measurements, lipids (total Ch, LDL-Ch, HDL-Ch, triglycerides, apoliporotein A1 and B), fasting plasma glucose, and insulin were determined.
RESULTS
In FH patients, high intensity statin was prescribed only in 17.9% of cases. LDL-Ch levels were significantly lower after 3 years of statin treatment (3.61 ± 1.19 mmol/l) vs. baseline (4.51 ± 1.69 mmol/l; p < 0.01), but only 6.9% of FH patients reached the recommended ≥50% LDL-Ch reduction and 16.2% attained the LDL-Ch <2.6 mmol/l target. Simultaneously, 9.6% of FH patients developed new ASCVD, with lower HDL-Ch after 3 years of statin treatment than in those who remained free of ASCVD. In addition, we observed new onset diabetes in 6.4% of FH patients who were more obese, older and with higher fasting glucose at baseline than FH patients free of diabetes, regardless of the type of statin.
CONCLUSIONS
These results imply that only a small proportion of FH patients achieved the recommended LDL-Ch treatment targets, mostly due to the use of low statin dose and infrequent implementation of high-intensity statin treatment, which altogether could not prevent the increase in residual cardiovascular risk.
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