News from the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress 2015

New EAS Consensus Statement

Side-effect and consequent non-adherence limit statin efficacy in practice

Muscle symptoms often result in poor adherence or treatment discontinuation in statin treated patients. Consequently the efficacy of these valuable therapies is compromised and, as a result, cardiovascular mortality in these patients may be increased by nearly 50%.

Responding to this critically important clinical issue, a Consensus Panel of The European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) has issued a statement addressing these key questions:

• How should these symptoms be diagnosed and assessed?
• What do we know about the pathophysiology of myopathy caused by statins?
• What are current strategies for managing these patients?
• How could new treatment options including PCSK9 inhibitors improve management?

Read the Consensus Statement here »

Statin associated muscle symptoms - expert opinion



While statins are the conserstone of treatment for reducing cardiovascular risk in many patients, the issue of statin associated muscle symptoms is causing clinical concern. Professor Erik Stroes discusses the problem and the recent EAS statement.

Read other articles by Professor Erik Stroes »

Only 50% of FH patients understand risks - registry survey

Only about half of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) understand the risks associated with their condition. This issue is revealed in newly published baseline data from the Cascade FH Registry initiated in 2014 by the FH Foundation.

The data shows that among FH patients:

• Only 54% were adequately informed about the risks of FH
• Only 43% recognised that FH increased the risk of premature death
• Only 57% understood their medications

Interim results of Cascasde FH Registry



Read article »

Read more about FH »

See expert videos on Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Unmet needs in children with FH		Discusses the 10 countries project in FH		Overlap between HoFH and severe FH...
The role of PCSK9 inhibitors in FH		FH issues in low to middle income regions		ODYSSEY FH and patient unmet needs