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The following is a summary of “Bridging Gaps in LDL-C Management: Utilization of Lipid-Lowering Therapies, Gender Disparities, and the Impact of Cardiology Visits on Secondary Prevention,” published in the June 2025 issue of American Journal Cardiology of by Sedrakyan et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the real-world use of novel lipid-lowering therapies and their impact on achieving LDL-C targets. 

They assessed 19,108 patients with coronary artery disease from 7 hospitals in Massachusetts between January 2019 and March 2024. The use of novel therapies, sex differences in LDL-C goal attainment, and the impact of outpatient cardiology care and cardiac rehabilitation were assessed. Categorical relationships were examined using chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression accounted for confounders.  

The results showed that only 50.1% of the final cohort achieved LDL-C levels below 70 mg/dL. Most participants (74.9%) received monotherapy, with 53.1% meeting the target. The use of dual therapy was limited to 12.2%. Females had lower odds of achieving LDL-C goals (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0.49–0.58), higher mean LDL-C levels (76.9 vs 67.7 mg/dL; P< 0.001), and reduced likelihood of combination therapy use (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.68–0.86). Cardiology consultations increased the likelihood of LDL-C goal attainment (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.41–1.67), and cardiac rehabilitation significantly decreased LDL-C from 89.1 to 66.1 mg/dL (P< 0.001).  

Investigators concluded that despite broader treatment options, many patients did not reach LDL-C targets due to the underuse of therapies, with specialist care and cardiac rehabilitation improving lipid control, while ongoing disparities in women emphasized the need for more equitable guideline-based care. 

Source: ajconline.org/article/S0002-9149(25)00341-8/abstract