Patients’ and Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives in Managing Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Survey of Unmet Needs and Perceived Benefits of Treating Systemic Inflammation in Cardiovascular Diseases

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.