Abstract 4138757: Lipid-Lowering Therapy Intensification and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Testing Following a Major Cardiovascular Event or Procedure in Adult Patients in the United States

Background: Optimizing lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) use is foundational to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, especially among patients who have already experienced an ASCVD event. This study aimed to evaluate the patterns of LLT intensification and LDL-C testing within 12 months following an ASCVD event in US patients. Methods: Adults who experienced an ASCVD event (acute coronary syndrome, coronary revascularization, stable angina, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or peripheral arterial disease) between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the IQVIA Longitudinal Access and Adjudication Data were included. The first instance of LLT intensification after the event was defined as an increase from a low-moderate to high intensity statin, or the initiation of statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9i, or bempedoic acid in addition to a baseline LLT regimen that did not include these medications. Baseline medication use was defined during 6 months before the ASCVD event. Results: Among 6,028,573 patients who had an eligible ASCVD event (mean age: 63.6 years, 51.5% male), 53.9% were not taking any LLT and 43.2% were taking statins only (low-moderate intensity: 26.7%; high intensity: 16.4%) during baseline. Within 1, 3, and 12 months after the event, 16.3%, 21.3%, and 30.0% of patients intensified LLT, respectively. Among patients who intensified LLT within 12 months (n= 1,820,246), the most commonly observed intensification was from no LLT use at baseline to low-moderate (29.0%) or high-intensity statins (43.5%), followed by intensification from low-moderate to high-intensity statins (20.3%). LDL-C values at baseline were available in a subset of 10.7% of patients, with the median being 95 mg/dL (78.9% ≥70 mg/dL). LDL-C values were observed in 17.7% of patients within 12 months after the ASCVD event, with the median being 84 mg/dL (68.3% ≥70 mg/dL). Conclusions: Within 12 months after an ASCVD event, only about one-third of patients intensified LLT and two-thirds did not achieve guideline-recommended LDL-C levels. The results highlight a missed opportunity to reduce recurrent ASCVD events. Future effort is warranted to address the clinical inertia that may be contributing to this unmet need.