Burden of First and Recurrent Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Hyperlipidemia

BackgroundAcute cardiovascular (CV) events have been evaluated in patients with specific comorbidities but have not focused on patients with hyperlipidemia or on the their long-term costs. ObjectivesTo evaluate incidence of CV events, costs, and resource utilization among patients with hyperlipidemia and baseline risk of CV disease (CVD). MethodsPatients (age 18 to 64 years) diagnosed with hyperlipidemia or using lipid-modifying medications were identified from administrative claims. Patients were categorized into 3 cohorts based on pre-index clinical characteristicssecondary prevention (SP; history of CV event, n=15613); high risk (HR; CVD, n=47600); and primary prevention (PP; no CV event history or CVD, n=60637)and followed up to 2 years after the CV event. ResultsDuring follow-up, 1 new CV event occurred in 43.0% of the SP cohort, 33.9% of HR, and 20.9% of PP; and 3 new events occurred in 19.8% of the SP cohort, 12.9% of HR, and 5.5% of PP. Incremental total costs were $19320 for SP, $20003 for HR, and $17650 for PP. Compared with patients with only 1 CV event, the mean 2-year cost was 30% higher in patients with 2 CV events and 48% higher in patients with 3 CV events. Only 50% of HR patients (with or without CV events) received statins. ConclusionsPatients with recurrent CV events had higher total health care costs during 24-month follow-up for each type of CV event. Total health care costs among patients with a CV event were higher for the initial as well as subsequent events. Statins and lipid-modifying medications were significantly underutilized in all cohorts, despite the presence of CVD.