Retrospective assessment of the effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with hypertriglyceridemia in real-world clinical practice

BACKGROUND: Elevated triglyceride levels—hypertriglyceridemia, representing an imbalance of lipid parameters—play a key role in contemporary lipid metabolism research and are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. An insufficient response to lipid-lowering therapy is of major clinical importance in the management of cardiology patients and requires optimization under real-world clinical practice conditions.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy in a population of cardiology patients aged 18–90 years with hypertriglyceridemia in real-world clinical practice at an outpatient urban cardiology medical center.

METHODS: This retrospective study included 693 cardiology patients aged 18–90 years with hypertriglyceridemia. Clinical diagnoses were established based on medical records, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory test results.

RESULTS: Lipid-lowering therapy was administered to 459 patients (66.2%). Initiation of lipid-lowering therapy was required in 42 patients (6.1%). Adjustment of the therapeutic regimen was performed in 184 patients (36.7%) receiving pharmacological treatment. Target triglyceride levels were achieved in 309 patients (44.6%), total cholesterol targets in 106 (15.3%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets in 201 (29.0%), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets in 362 (52.2%), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets in 186 patients (26.8%).

CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy among patients with hypertriglyceridemia was insufficient, indicating the need for more aggressive pharmacotherapy of this lipid metabolism disorder in the management of cardiology patients. Initiation and intensification of triglyceride-lowering therapy in routine clinical care, as well as increased physician awareness of hypertriglyceridemia, appear warranted.