14 Nov Current Statin Guidelines May Miss Young Adults At Risk of Heart Attack

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Singh

Avinainder Singh, M.B.B.S.
Research Fellow
Cardiovascular Medicine
Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Overall, the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) in the US has declined. However, it has remained stable in adults <50 years of age.

We evaluated the statin eligibility of a cohort of adults who had an MI at a young age using current guidelines – the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines for cholesterol treatment and the 2016 USPSTF guidelines on use of statins for primary prevention.

In, our study we found that only 49% of these young adults would have been eligible for statin therapy prior to their MI according the 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines, and only 29% would have been eligible according to the USPSTF guidelines, despite a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. These numbers were even more striking for women where only 18% were eligible for statin therapy according to the USPSTF guidelines.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Current guidelines and risk calculators may miss young adults who are at risk of having an MI, especially if they have risk factors. This calls for increased discretion by the physician provider, as a low calculated risk score maybe falsely reassuring.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: We need to improve upon existing methods of risk calculation, or develop newer ways to predict risk of cardiovascular disease in young adults. An increased focus on primary and primordial prevention is also needed, starting at an early age.

No disclosures

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Citation:

Findings presented at:  Ancel Keys Memorial Session at the American Heart Association Meeting in Anaheim, California 

And published: November 2017DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.11.007

Cardiovascular Risk and Statin Eligibility of Young Adults After an Myocardial Infarction: Partners YOUNG-MI Registry

Avinainder Singh, Bradley L. Collins, Ankur Gupta, Amber Fatima, Arman Qamar, David Biery, Julio Baez, Mary Cawley, Josh Klein, Jon Hainer, Jorge Plutzky, Christopher P. Cannon, Khurram Nasir, Marcelo F. Di Carli, Deepak L. Bhatt and Ron Blankstein

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Last Updated on November 14, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD