Rate of Statin Prescription in Younger Patients With Severe Dyslipidemia.

Cardiovascular disease affects 1 in 3 patients and remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Severe elevation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels is a modifiable risk factor for developing premature cardiovascular disease, and elevation levels of 190 mg/dL or greater (to convert LDL-C values to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0259) may indicate a monogenic etiology such as familial hypercholesterolemia. Treatment with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors or statins is recommended (class IA) for all adults 21 years or older with an LDL-C of 190 mg/dL or greater. Statin treatment appears to reduce mortality and result in cost savings for health systems. Therefore, we sought to examine rates of statin prescription in patients screened for dyslipidemia to identify treatment gaps in a real-world contemporary setting.