According to an editorial, this prospective cohort study of primary care patients, from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, who were free of CVD before statin initiation brings a clear message for both clinicians and patients, highlighting the importance of LDL-c lowering for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), specifically supporting the concept that not achieving NICE guideline recommendation is a risk factor for ASCVD.
It notes that effective implementation of guidelines among healthcare practitioners and the general population has been a challenge for a long time, and both physicians and patients should be targets for approaches aiming at improving adherence to guidelines. It suggests that simplified recommendations and algorithms may also facilitate guideline implementation among physicians, and patients and society should be educated on the scientific evidence documenting the benefits of lipid-lowering therapy. Furthermore, antistatin propaganda based on pseudoscience should be demystified by health authorities and reassurance of statin safety should be emphasised to both doctors and patients in order to diminish excessive, unrealistic concerns.