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This survey study investigated the perspectives of 200 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and 204 healthcare professionals (HCPs), mostly cardiologists, regarding the management of ASCVD and the role of inflammation. The survey revealed that a significant proportion of patients experienced persistent symptoms despite standard treatments like statins and antiplatelet therapy, and a majority of HCPs believed that residual cardiovascular risk remained after addressing traditional risk factors. While most HCPs acknowledged the importance of inflammation in ASCVD, satisfaction with current treatments was limited, and hsCRP measurement was not consistently performed.
Despite guideline-recommended therapies, a substantial proportion of ASCVD patients report persistent symptoms, highlighting a potential unmet need for therapies targeting inflammation.
Few surveys have focused on a patient's journey or healthcare professionals' (HCPs') perspectives in treating inflammation in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Patients with ASCVD (n=200) and HCPs (n=204) completed separate 30-minute, online questionnaires between 6/24 and 8/24. HCPs included cardiologists (83%) and cardiology NPs or PAs (17%). Patients that completed the survey, however, were not linked to the HCP's that participated. Among patients with ASCVD, HCPs reported initiation rates of statin and antiplatelet therapy at 78% and 65%, respectively. Only a limited number of patients (18%) believed their treatment was working extremely well, with 82% reporting persistent symptoms, including chest pain (28%), issues walking (28%), or issues breathing and/or cough (26%). Most HCPs (87%) believed that residual cardiovascular risk remained after modifying traditional ASCVD risk factors. Two-thirds (66%) of HCPs agreed that inflammation is an important component in ASCVD, not sufficiently addressed by current treatments and only 58% reported being mostly to extremely satisfied with current ASCVD treatments. Approximately 29% of cardiologists reported that they measured high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) often or always, and of those, 79% did so due to the presence or suspicion of an inflammatory comorbidity. Uncertainty exists about the evaluation and treatment of inflammation in patients with ASCVD. Ongoing studies evaluating anti-inflammatory therapies will help to inform future hsCRP testing in the ASCVD population.
