Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Categories and Statin Use Based on 4 Groups of ACC-AHA Guidelines [Accepted]

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the number one cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) standing at the forefront, driving much of the world’s morbidity and mortality. In light of this, prevention and management strategies. Statin therapy, a cornerstone in lipid management, plays a crucial role in both the prevention and management of ASCVD. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) in their ongoing efforts serves as critical reference for healthcare professional in assessing and managing ASCVD risk. However, adherence to these guidelines in clinical practice often varies. The study was a retrospective descriptive study that evaluated the appropriateness of statin use and adherence to the latest ACC-AHA guidelines for ASCVD risk management. Participants were classified into four distinct risk groups based on the 2018 ACC-AHA guidelines. Statin use was assessed for appropriateness and adherence based on guidelines recommendations. The study found that 73.5% of participants were on statin therapy, with 88.4% receiving appropriate treatment per guidelines recommendations. High adherence to statin therapy (81.0%) was noted, emphasizing the importance of adherence in achieving optimal cardiovascular outcomes. However, a subset of patients (11.6%) was identified as receiving statin inappropriately, either due to under prescription in high-risk group or over prescription in low-risk group. Statin use was significantly associated with factors such as old age, male gender, history of hospital admission, and comorbid conditions including hypertension and diabetes (p<0.05). The study highlights the importance of aligning clinical practices with the ACC-AHA guidelines for ASCVD risk assessment and statin therapy, and emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts to optimize statin therapy, especially in high-risk patient to improve cardiovascular risk management. Future research should explore long-term outcomes and strategies to reduce the gap between clinical guidelines and real clinical practice. The research paper focuses on cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, accounting for approximately 17.9 million deaths annually.

Keywords: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).  ACC-AHA Guidelines, lipid management, statin therapy, primary and secondary prevention, Statin adherence, clinical practice.