Statin Use Survey Among the First to Highlight Importance of Adverse Patient Experiences in Discontinuing Medication Use

MIAMI, May 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Findings of the first patient statin use survey based on a comprehensive set of patient experiences and behavioral markers were presented today at the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) 2019 Scientific Sessions.

The Statin Adverse Treatment Experience (STATE) Survey : Experience of Patients Reporting Side Effects of Statin Therapy was designed to collect information in the patient’s voice to serve as a foundation for increased  provider understanding of statin tolerability from the patient’s perspective in order to identify opportunities to improve adherence, medication management, clinical practices and – ultimately -- outcomes.

Additionally, patient-reported symptom severity and impact on daily life were explored to characterize patients potentially at risk of stopping treatment.

Key survey takeaways include the following:

• Prevention of heart attack/stroke was ranked as the most important reason patients cited for taking statins despite symptoms
• Those patients who stopped taking statins reported a higher impact from the medication on activities of daily living (e.g., physical activity, rest, productivity, sleep) when compared to those having similar symptoms who continued to take their statin
• More patients may stay on therapy when their medications were adjusted
• At least half of the respondents who reported that they were not at treatment goal were willing to try other options, such as a different statin or a non-statin prescription medication to help control their cholesterol
• Providers need a greater awareness of statin intolerability from a patient perspective*
  * (~One in five patients who stopped therapy did so without informing their providers)

The survey also revealed that patients are more likely to be successful with statin therapy when providers are more engaged and therapy decision-making is shared. Thus, risk-benefit discussions should be encouraged, with the ultimate goal of keeping patients on effective lipid-lowering therapies to prevent cardiovascular events.

“Because studies have shown that the risk of cardiovascular events increase with statin non-persistence or underutilization, it is crucial for clinicians to reliably identify patients who might be at risk for stopping their statin therapy,” said Terry A. Jacobson, MD, corresponding author of the STATE Survey manuscript. “The data captured by this survey provides meaningful information they can use to work hand-in-hand with patients to optimize treatment.”

The STATE survey results represented 1,500 U.S. respondents who self-reported high cholesterol, had taken a statin with the past two years, and who had experienced one or more side effects from statin use within the prior six months.

Survey results will be released in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology at the time of the presentation and will be accessible online at: www.lipidjournal.com.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL LIPID ASSOCIATION
The NLA is a multidisciplinary specialty society focused on prevention of cardiovascular disease and other lipid-related disorders. The NLA’s mission is to enhance the practice of lipid management in clinical medicine, and one of its goals is to enhance efforts to reduce death and disability related to disorders of lipid metabolism in patients. Members include physicians (MDs and DOs) and other health care professionals from an array of disciplines including PhDs researchers, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, exercise physiologists, and dietitians.

To stay up-to-date on NLA and its activities, visit www.lipid.org or follow us on Twitter (@nationallipid), Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nationallipid/ and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nationallipid/)

Mary Green
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