Efficacy of Statins on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level Reduction in Thai Patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of different types and doses of statins on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) reduction in Thai individuals. Materials and Methods: The present study was a real-world, retrospective study conducted at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The authors reviewed medical records and databases for the period between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022. Eligible participants were adults aged 18 years and older who initiated statin therapy during this period. The primary outcome was the percentage reduction in LDL-c levels from baseline to the first follow-up visit, categorized by statin intensity. Results: Four thousand three hundred ninety-four patients were included in the analysis. Simvastatin was the most frequently prescribed statin at 46.9%. The mean percentage reductions in LDL-c were 32.5±14.0% for the low-intensity group, 38.7±16.4% for the moderate-intensity group, and 43.8±18.1% for the high-intensity group. The highest LDL-c reduction within each category was observed with simvastatin 10 mg at 32.9% for low-intensity, rosuvastatin 5 mg at 47.8% for moderate-intensity, and atorvastatin 80 mg at 61.2% for high-intensity. However, the result for atorvastatin 80 mg should be interpreted with caution due to a very small sample size. Conclusion: In the Thai population, low- and moderate-intensity statins achieved LDL-c reductions consistent with guideline recommendations. However, high-intensity statins demonstrated mean reductions below the guideline target of more than 50%.