June 6, 2019
Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 735,000 heart attacks occur annually and 1 in 4 deaths are attributed to this condition. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend statins of moderate- or high-intensity for adults with established clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that adults with diabetes are 1.7 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Additionally, almost two out of five people with diabetes who could benefit from statin therapy to lower their risk of future heart attack, stroke and related deaths weren’t prescribed one, according to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
To support the importance of statin therapy, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services includes two star measures aimed at the use of statin therapy. We ask you to consider prescribing statins for your patients diagnosed with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
To learn more about the use of statin therapy, view these tip sheets:
For more information and/or questions regarding this article, email ProviderClinicalConsulting@Premera.com.