How to achieve LDL cholesterol goals with the funding criteria for new lipid-lowering drugs?

Abstract

Given the apparent inconsistency of having potent lipid-lowering drugs and the unacceptable rate of achievement of therapeutic goals in LDL cholesterol, it is imperative to define new strategies. In this regard, it is appropriate to detail the key points in planning to start lipid-lowering therapy, emphasizing relevant clinical aspects such as the considerable individual variability in the response to statin therapy, positioning in relation to high-potency statins versus statin + ezetimibe combination therapy, and the order of choice of lipid-lowering drugs in the therapeutic strategy. An algorithm is then proposed that ensures a personalized approach to lipid-lowering drug treatment in patients with cardiovascular disease and/or familial hypercholesterolemia with the aim of achieving the therapeutic goal in the shortest possible time, taking into account the patient's previous treatment, the funding criteria for new drugs, and the individualized goal of LDL cholesterol reduction.