Background: Statin persistence has been poor for over 2 decades, even in patients with a prior cardiovascular (CV) event. Data on longer-term statin persistence are lacking, particularly in patients with diabetes.
Methods: This retrospective administrative claims analysis (Optum Research Database) analyzed long-term data on statin persistence in patients with high CV risk by diabetes and triglycerides (TG). Patients aged ≥45 years with diabetes and/or atherosclerotic CV disease with an index date and statin prescription filled in 2010 were included. Patients with TG ≥150 mg/dL were propensity-matched to a comparator cohort with TG <150 mg/dL and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol >40 mg/dL. Cohorts were followed for ≥6 months to March 2016.
Results: In the elevated-TG and comparator cohorts (each n=23,181), mean follow-up was 41.4 and 42.5 months, mean age was 62.2 and 62.6 years, and 49.7% and 49.5% were female, respectively. In patients with and without baseline elevated-TG and/or baseline diabetes, statin persistence was poor, with ≤21% remaining on a prescription fill for index statin at 5 years (Figure).
P.P. Toth: Consultant; Self; Amarin Corporation, Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Kowa Pharmaceutical Europe Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk Inc. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Amarin Corporation, Amgen Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Novo Nordisk Inc., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi US. S. Philip: Employee; Self; Amarin Corporation. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Amarin Corporation. M. Hull: None. C.B. Granowitz: Employee; Self; Amarin Pharma Inc. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Amarin Pharma Inc.
