Students Research in Progress
Monday, November 13, 2023
01:00 PM–02:30 PM
Abstract
Introduction: The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) strongly advocate for the use of statin therapy, supported by compelling evidence, in both primary and secondary prevention ASCVD. Additionally, for patients with clinical ASCVD, guidelines recommend the utilization of high-intensity statins and adding a non-statin lipid lowering therapy (LLT) to reach therapeutic goals. Among veterans, less than half receive intensified LLT with clinical ASCVD, indicating a missed chance to mitigate the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We sought to describe this underutilization of statins therapy and identify opportunities for potential intervention.
Research Question or Hypothesis: Identify gaps and opportunities to optimize lipid therapy in patients with heart failure.
Study Design: Cross sectional, retrospective, programmatic chart review
Methods: Heart Failure (HF) patients followed by primary care providers (PCPs) at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) within the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical in Oregon were identified utilizing ICD10 codes. A secondary review to ensure all appropriate patients were identified included a detailed query of the VA Heart Failure Patient Report Dashboard. A standardized data collection tool was developed to collect demographics, co-morbidities, current medications, medical history, and pertinent laboratory values. Both VA and non-VA records were reviewed to assess if lipid lowering therapy could be safely optimized, and this information was presented to the HF cardiologist for potential recommendations. Specific medication, laboratory, cardiology consultation or follow-up appointment recommendations were sent to each patient’s PCP via a brief note in their electronic medical record. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and medication usage were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The frequency of recommendations was stratified by recommendation category. The Institutional Review Board approved this as a quality-improvement project.
Results: In Progress
Conclusion: In Progress
Presenting Author
Valerie Reyes PharmD Candidate 2024University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy
Authors
Lilyana Munoz PharmD Candidate 2025
University of Texas at El Paso
Carrie Puckett DO
Veteran Affairs Portland Health Care System
Donaciano Dominguez PharmD
University of California, Davis Health
Cristian Villalva PharmD Candidate 2024
The University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy
Harleen Singh PharmD, BCPS-AQ Cardiology, BCACP, FOSHP
University of Texas at El Paso