Utilization of and Adherence to Guideline-Recommended Lipid-Lowering Therapy After Acute Coronary Syndrome Opportunities for Improvement

In addition to aggressive lifestyle and nonlipid risk factor modification, statin therapy improves cardiovascular disease outcomes following acute coronary syndromes. Despite established benefits of treatment, contemporary registries reveal substantial underutilization of and nonadherence to statin therapy for secondary prevention. In randomized controlled trials investigating statin therapy, including moderate-intensity statin plus ezetimibe therapy, rates of nonadherence are reported in up to 40% of subjects. Durable strategies to address gaps in lipid lowering for secondary prevention are essential to maximize reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. (C) 2015 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.