Gaps Persist in Actual Versus Optimal Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Care

TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Roughly half of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) adopt optimal prevention strategies across racial and ethnic subgroups, according to a study published online Dec. 1 in JAMA Network Open.

Yuan Lu, Sc.D., from Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, and colleagues evaluated trends in racial and ethnic differences in utilization of guideline-recommended pharmacological medications and lifestyle modifications among U.S. adults with ASCVD. Analysis included data from 5,218 participants in the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999 to 2020) with ASCVD. 

The researchers found that over the study period, there was a significant increase in total cholesterol control and statin use in all racial and ethnic subgroups. Additionally, there were significant increases seen in angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker use among non-Hispanic White and Hispanic and Latino individuals (Hispanic and Latino individuals: 17.12 percentage points; non-Hispanic White individuals: 12.14 percentage points). Smoking cessation increased significantly within the Hispanic and Latino population (−27.13 percentage points), as well as a lessening of the gap in smoking cessation between Hispanic and Latino individuals and White individuals (−24.85 percentage points). From 2017 to 2020, optimal regimens were used in 47.4 percent of Black, 48.7 percent of Hispanic and Latino, and 53.0 percent of White individuals.

"These results suggest that, despite efforts to enhance the quality of care for ASCVD patients, substantial disparities persist between current care and optimal care, underscoring the urgent need for ongoing initiatives to bridge these gaps and improve outcomes for all patients, regardless of their backgrounds," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and medical industries.

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