Barriers and Emerging Strategies to Bridge Gaps in Implementation of Evidence-Based Lipid-Lowering Therapies

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with multiple classes of cholesterol-lowering therapies effective at reducing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. Despite robust efficacy data from randomized trials, real-world implementation of guideline-recommended lipid-lowering therapies is suboptimal. Barriers to the implementation of guideline lipid-lowering therapy recommendations exist at the healthcare systems level, the medical therapy level, and the patient level. A combination of strategies, including the incorporation of quality improvement and cost-effectiveness analysis among payers, pharmacist-based educational initiatives, digital health tools directed towards patients, the simplification of drug regimens via polypill, and emerging novel therapies, including PCSK9 gene silencing and editing technologies, may bridge these implementation gaps. This review highlights challenges and solutions to alleviating barriers to optimal implementation of guideline-recommended lipid-lowering therapies.