Prior adherence to recommended lipid control targets in patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Optimal lipid control is difficult to attain. We assessed preadmission achievement of the European Society of Cardiology targets for low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) control in patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome.

METHODS

Fasting LDL-C levels were measured in 3164 patients admitted between 2010 and 2017. We assessed the frequency of adequate LDL-C control, with targets defined according to individual cardiovascular risk, and the predictors of inadequate control.

RESULTS

The median LDL-C value was 104 (80-130) mg/dL. Most patients had high or very high cardiovascular risk and only 34.2% had LDL-C levels below the recommended target for their estimated risk. Achievement of LDL-C goals increased moderately throughout the study period. Adequate LDL-C control was inversely associated with patient risk. Dyslipidemia, active smoking, diabetes mellitus, and body mass index ≥ 25 were independent predictors of inadequate lipid control, while ongoing statin therapy was associated with adequate control.

CONCLUSIONS

Only slightly more than one third of patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome meet recommended LDL-C targets on admission. There is broad scope for improvement in primary and secondary prevention, especially among patients who are overweight or have other cardiovascular risk factors.