Enhancing Access to Lipid-Lowering Therapies and Optimizing Cholesterol Management in Very High-Risk Patients with ASCVD

A panel of clinical pharmacists introduce themselves and discuss how LDL cholesterol target achievement compares with guideline goals for patients with ASCVD who are treated with maximally tolerated statin monotherapy.

Experts on the management of ASCVD discuss clinical practice patterns of high-risk patients and the common reasons for clinicians not intensifying cholesterol treatment.

The panel compares the ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines with the ESC/EAS guidelines and provides thoughts on how educational initiatives can be improved to increase familiarity and implementation.

Clinical pharmacists discuss how to address key barriers that get in the way of implementing guideline-directed cholesterol treatment.

Turning the focus to non-statin therapies, the panel outlines logistical barriers and discusses the characteristics that guide treatment selection in patients with ASCVD.

Focusing on PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran, and bempedoic acid, the panel compares treatment efficacy and outlines patient factors that influence treatment decisions.

The expert panel discusses the cost-effectiveness and clinical evidence gaps for non-statin therapies, including PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran, and bempedoic acid.

Clinical insights on how real-world treatment persistence and discontinuation rates compare between the various non-statin therapies and the factors that contribute to these differences.

The panel offers its thoughts on the current and potential role of pharmacists in the treatment of patients with ASCVD.

Expert perspectives on metrics that pharmacists can track to quantify adherence rate improvement, treatment intensification, and cholesterol level optimization over time.

The panel concludes its discussion with insights on successful strategies that can inform optimal collaborative care practices for cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with ASCVD.