Host:

• Scott Webb

Guests:

• Dr. Deepak L. Bhatt
  • Director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital
  • Dr. Valentin Fuster Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine
• Dr. Kevin C. Maki
  • President and Chief Scientist at Midwest Biomedical Research
  • Adjunct Professor at Indiana University School of Public Health
  • Co-Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical Lipidology

Supported by:

• Independent educational grant from Espirian

Episode Overview:
This episode explores the disparities in cardiovascular care, particularly focusing on LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) management in women and racial/ethnic groups. Dr. Bhatt and Dr. Maki discuss key factors contributing to the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and highlight strategies to improve lipid management and reduce disparities in care.

Key Takeaways:

• Disparities in ASCVD Risk and Care:
  • Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death, and recent trends show increasing mortality rates, partly due to inadequate LDL-C management.
  • Women and racial/ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans and Hispanic/Latino Americans, face greater risk and lower rates of statin use and LDL-C control.
• Barriers to Effective LDL-C Management:
  • Patient awareness, statin intolerance, cultural/language barriers, and social determinants of health all contribute to suboptimal lipid control in underserved populations.
  • Many high-risk patients, including those with ASCVD or elevated LDL-C, are not receiving appropriate statin therapy or other lipid-lowering medications.
• Female-Specific Risk Factors:
  • Unique cardiovascular risk factors for women include pregnancy-related conditions like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. These factors should be considered in risk assessments, even post-childbearing years.
  • Women are often undertreated for hypercholesterolemia due to concerns about statin use during childbearing years.
• Recommendations to Improve Outcomes:
  • Greater awareness, improved guideline adherence, and the inclusion of LDL-C measurement as a healthcare system performance metric are critical to closing treatment gaps.
  • Using a combination of statins and adjunct therapies can improve LDL-C control and reduce cardiovascular risk, especially in underserved populations.

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