Clinical characteristics and treatment patterns in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with hypercholesterolemia: a retrospective analysis of a large US real-world database cohort.

International societies of cardiologists recommend use of medications to lower the "bad" cholesterol, and its risk of cardiovascular diseases like stroke. We aimed to describe how those medications are being used and to what extent patients with cardiovascular diseases in the United States have their "bad" cholesterol under control. Results of this study indicate that cholesterol check-up among the patients was limited. Among recommended medications, statins were mostly used, whereas use of other recently approved medications was minimal. One-quarter of patients were not prescribed medications to control their cholesterol. Moreover, patients were not taking the medications as frequently as prescribed.