Craig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP
Articles by Craig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP

Deciding Between Novel, Nonstatin Therapies
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how medical professionals consider PCSK9 inhibitors, bempedoic acid, and inclisiran in various clinical scenarios, their experiences with these newer therapies, the implications of the INCEPTION trial for treating patients with high-risk cardiovascular disease—particularly those who are statin-intolerant—the urgency of postcoronary event treatment, and emerging data on the broader impact of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies on quality of life.

Clinical Value of Nonstatin Therapies
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how evidence from a value-based care perspective demonstrates long-term health benefits, including reduced recurrent events and hospitalizations, as well as cost savings associated with intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies beyond statins in patients who are very high-risk post-atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), while also addressing key challenges health care providers face in selecting nonstatin therapies and strategies to overcome them.

Cost and Safety of Novel, Nonstatin Therapies
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how patients' access to and preferences for PCSK9 inhibitors and other treatments are influenced by factors such as insurance coverage, administration convenience, financial toxicity, and individual health concerns.


Mechanisms of Action of Nonstatin Therapies
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how PCSK9 inhibitors, bempedoic acid, and inclisiran lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) through distinct mechanisms—PCSK9 inhibitors enhance LDL receptor recycling, bempedoic acid inhibits ATP citrate lyase to reduce cholesterol synthesis, and inclisiran uses RNA interference to decrease PCSK9 production—comparing their efficacy in reducing recurrent cardiovascular events.

Effective Approaches for Utilizing Nonstatin Therapies
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how medical professionals navigate statin initiation, considering contraindications or delays in specific patient populations, including those with liver disease or renal impairment, older adults, and other high-risk groups, while also examining evolving treatment patterns and factors influencing the adoption of more intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies.

Important Treatment Considerations With LDL-C– Lowering Therapies
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how the initiation of statin therapy requires careful consideration of contraindications and patient-specific factors, particularly in those with liver disease, renal impairment, or advanced age, while noting evolving treatment patterns toward more intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies based on individualized risk assessment.

Weighing the Benefits and Risks of Statin Therapy
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how statin therapy for primary prevention requires careful consideration of cardiovascular risk factors against potential adverse effects such as myalgia and liver abnormalities, generally favoring treatment when the calculated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [ASCVD] risk exceeds 7.5% to10% and adjusting recommendations based on individual patient factors including age, comorbidities, and preferences.

Host Craig Beavers spoke with Arthur Allen, PharmD, for the latest updates from the RIVAWAR trial and the newest ACS guidelines.

Guideline Recommendations for LDL-C Management
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how evolving clinical guidelines for intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies have shaped personalized treatment approaches through risk stratification, with different targets for primary vs secondary prevention and consideration of genetic factors when determining appropriate statin intensity.

Target LDL-C Levels for Patients
ByCraig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP ,Kelsey E. Norman, PharmD, BCCP, BCACP, BCPS,Dan Landup, PharmD, HF-Cert ,Katherine DiPalo, PharmD,Ralph J. Riello, PharmD, BCPS Panelists discuss how cardiology practice has evolved toward more aggressive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering strategies across specialties, with current guidelines generally recommending targets below 70 mg/dL for high-risk patients and even lower thresholds (below 55 mg/dL) for very high-risk individuals, though these targets require personalization based on age, comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension, and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Host Craig Beavers speaks with Steven Dunn about the latest ACC/AHA/ACEP/NAEMSP/SCAI Guideline for the Management of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Host Craig Beavers spoke with several presenters, researchers, and experts about the key data being discussed at the meeting.

Pharmacy Times will be on-site in Chicago, Illinois from March 29 through 31.

This new podcast will explore the latest evidence, practices, and innovations in the world of cardiovascular care from a pharmacist's point of view.

Craig Beavers, PharmD, FACC, FAHA, FCCP, BCCP, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, CACP, discusses how maximally tolerated statin therapy often fails to achieve target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in high-risk patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and share strategies for optimizing adherence, including when to switch therapies to improve patient outcomes.