Clinical burden and management gaps in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A nationwide study of 687,212 patients in Taiwan, 2017-2023.

OBJECTIVE

This nationwide study aimed to analyze temporal trends in hospitalized atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) incidence, evaluate lipid testing patterns and goal attainment rates, and assess healthcare utilization among ASCVD patients in Taiwan.

METHODS

Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database linked with laboratory data (2017-2023), we identified patients with incident hospitalized ASCVD. We calculated age-standardized incidence rates and analyzed lipid-lowering therapy patterns, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) testing, and healthcare utilizations during index hospitalization and one-year follow-up.

RESULTS

Among 687,212 patients with incident ASCVD, age-standardized incidence decreased by 10% (from 256.3 to 231.8 per 100,000 person-years) from 2017 to 2023, with marked sex disparities (male-to-female ratio: 1.73). Concerning increases in incidence were observed among adults aged 20-29 (12.6%) and 70-79 (19.0%). Among all subtypes of ASCVD, ischemic heart disease (IHD) showed the highest adjusted incidence (99.86 per 100,000 person-years). LDL-C testing rates were suboptimal during index hospitalization (64.8%), with significant variation across ASCVD subtypes (highest in stroke: 80.2% and lowest in peripheral artery disease: 39.2%). Only 34.1% achieved LDL-C <70 mg/dL at one year post-discharge. Lipid-lowering therapy initiation was low during hospitalization (48.9%), peaked at 3 months (60.9%), then stabilized at 57%. Within one year post-discharge, 40.8% had emergency department visits, 40.6% were rehospitalized, and one-year mortality rate reached 13.2%.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal substantial gaps in ASCVD care and lipid management in Taiwan's healthcare system, highlighting critical opportunities for improving preventive strategies and optimizing cardiovascular outcomes in this high-risk population.