A new study projects that aligning U.S. cholesterol treatment with clinical guidelines could significantly reduce cardiovascular events nationwide.
The study, led by researchers at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University and Merck and published June 30 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, used data from nearly 5,000 adults 40-75 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2020.
The analysis found that while 47% to 87% of adults were eligible for lipid-lowering therapy, only about 28% were receiving such treatment. Use of statins, ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors fell below guideline recommendations.
If all eligible adults received treatment per these guidelines, median reductions in LDL cholesterol levels ranged from 37 to 49 mg/dL, depending on the guideline used. The reductions could lead to a 21% to 27% relative reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers estimated that fully guideline care could prevent tens of thousands of cardiovascular events each year.
