The American College of Cardiology (ACC) reached a consensus over the use of non-statin therapies to lower cholesterol in high-risk patients. The institution published its guidelines for physicians and patients whose needs were not covered in their previous approach.

In the changes, compared to the previous guidelines in 2013, the ACC added new evidence of its effects and recommendations for the use of non-statin as a combination of statins therapies, according to a press release made by the organization.

The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors for certain patients, and a recent publication of a clinical trial showed positives outcomes for the non-statin therapies and this had to make an appearance in the new guidelines.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) reached a consensus over the use of non-statin therapies to lower cholesterol in high-risk patients. Photo credit: E Health
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) reached a consensus over the use of non-statin therapies to lower cholesterol in high-risk patients. Photo credit: E Health

In addition, the writing committee supported considerations of adding ezetimibe 10 mg daily as the first non-statin agent for many higher-risk patient groups, according to the ACC.

However, the experts just recommend this new therapy for certain kind of patients, which are specified in the report. They also do not recommend the combination of non-statin therapy for others situations discussed in the document.

Others considerations about the initiation of non-statin therapies included the extent of available scientific evidence for safety and tolerability, potential for drug-drug interactions, efficacy of additional LDL-C and others.

An easy understanding

“This consensus pathway document is the first in a new format, where we offer guidance to clinicians in an easy to understand algorithm approach framed in a data supported fashion,” said James L. Januzzi Jr., MD, member of the ACC’s Task Force on Clinical Expert Consensus Documents.

Like any consensus document before, Januzzi added, this one contains abundant useful information. The ACC recognized the importance of providing useful decision support to busy clinicians as well, he added.

He also believed that these guidelines and its authors “threaded the needle perfectly” with its pathway, and provided a useful resource for understanding the appropriate use of non-statin therapies while simultaneously guiding clinicians or such use.

Source: The American College of Cardiology