Lipids (Exam 4) Flashcards
Red yeast rice contains varying amounts of a family of naturally occurring substances called ________ that have HMG CoA reductase inhibitor activity.
monacolins
What two meds are PCSK9 Inhibitors?
How are they administered?
alirocumab and evolocumab
injection or infusion patch pump
High Triglycerides are a(n) _____________ risk factor for CAD.
INDEPENDENT
TG is ________ (inversely/directly) related to HDL.
Inversely
**lowering TG should raise HDL.
When would you need to monitor ALT in a pt who is on a statin? (7 reasons)
- Pts >75 yo
- pts with multiple comorbidities
- renal or hepatic dysfunction
- h/o statin in tolerance
- muscle disorders
- unexplained elevated liver enzymes
- pts on meds that can affect statin metabolism
LDL becomes elevated when LDL is _______ and then taken up by macrophages lining the ________ ________.
oxidized
arterial intima
__________ dyslipidemia is non-genetic and can be caused by any of the following: sedentary lifestyle with excessive dietary intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats, alcohol overuse, DM, chronic kidney disease, hypothyroidism,
primary biliary cirrhosis and other cholestatic liver diseases
Secondary
What supplement might you recommend to a pt who recently started statin therapy and is now having muscle pain?
CoQEnzyme10
If normal ____ and _____ LDL particle, pt is at increased risk for CAD.
LDL
HIGH
Which two statins are first line?
Lipitor (atorvastatin)
Crestor (rosuvastatin)
Fibrates are second line for dyslipidemia, but first line for what?
First line use to reduce risk of pancreatitis in patients with very high TGs
Some pts may not respond to high dose statins and may require adjunct therapy. Which 3 meds would you consider, in order from first line to last line and why?
- Ezetimibe is the first non-statin medication that should be considered in most pt scenarios. It is safe and tolerable and has demonstrated modest efficacy when added to moderate-dose statin.
- Bile acid sequestrants (BAS) may be considered as second-line therapy for patients in whom ezetimibe is not tolerated.
(Avoid in patients with triglycerides >300 mg/dl) - PCSK9 Inhibitors may be considered if the goals of therapy have not been achieved on maximally tolerated statin and ezetimibe in higher-risk patients with clinical ASCVD or familial hypercholesterolemia.
**Given the lack of long-term safety and efficacy data
not recommended for use in primary prevention pts who do not have familial hypercholesterolemia
What should do if you suspect a pt cannot tolerate the statin you initially prescribed them?
a. add aspirin to their regimen
b. increase the dose of the statin
c. temporarily stop the statin and then try a different statin
d. tell them to suck it up
C.
The approach to suspected statin intolerance:
- temporary discontinuation of statin therapy
- lower dosing
- re-challenge preferably with 2-3 statins of differing metabolic pathways
- intermittent (1-3x weekly) dosing of long half-life statins
Name 3 bile acid sequestrant meds.
- Cholestyramine and
- colestipol: powder form, mixed in drinks 2-3 times a day (Colestipol also has a tablet form)
- Colesevelam: newer, less side effects, greater binding affinity to bile acids
We see ______ Lp(a) in nephrotic kidney disease, but ______ Lp(a) in dialysis pts.
Higher
Lower
TRUE OR FALSE?
When initiating a statin, you should start with the max dose and continue if tolerated.
True
What factors does the 10 yr ASCVD calc look at?
Gender Age (men >45 and Women >55) Race Total Cholesterol HDL-C <40 mg/dL Systolic Blood pressure Treatment for hypertension Diagnosis of Diabetes Smoking history
What are some other indications that may require treatment, even if the pt does not fall into one of the 4 benefit groups?
- Primary LDL-C >160
- Genetic hyperlipidemias
- Fam Hx
- hs-CRP >2mg/L
- CAC score >300 or more
- ABI <0.9
What are some of the benefits of statin medications?
- Possible coronary plaque stabilization (Crestor has a study to prove this in the carotid arteries)
- Improved endothelial cell function
- Reduces CRP
- May be preventing: CHF, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease
- Possible anti-inflammatory properties
If your pt with dyslipidemia insists on taking Fish Oils for their condition, what would you recommend to them regarding dosing?
Fish oil supplements should be taken at doses of ≥3 to 6g/day ofEPA/DHAconcentrate.
In many fish oil supplements, only 30-50% of ingredients are active omega-3 fatty acids, hence the high doses needed
True or false? Angiotensin II promotes the development and severity of atherosclerosis, particularly when combined with hyperlipidemia.
TRUE
Think about HTN and the role of Angiotensin II.
Angiotensin II may also play a role in the modulation of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Case 5: A 48-year-old man with FH and history of 3-vessel coronary artery bypass surgery 7 years ago sees you now for statin intolerance. The maximum dose of statin that he can tolerate is rosuvastatin 10 mg twice a week. On more frequent dosing he developed shoulder, low back, and thigh aching without weakness and a normal CK level. He had similar symptoms on low doses of simvastatin, atorvastatin and pravastatin.
On rosuvastatin 10 mg twice a week, his most recent LDL–C was 168 mg/dL, triglycerides were 138 mg/dL, and HDL–C was 46 mg/dL.
Which of the following statements is the most correct answer?
a. Ezetimibe has been shown to further reduce ASCVD events when added
to statin therapy. He should continue the rosuvastatin and ezetimibe 10 mg should be added.
b. Gemfibrozil has been shown to reduce ASCVD events when used as
monotherapy in men with coronary heart disease. He should continue the
rosuvastatin and gemfibrozil 600 mg twice daily should be added.
c. Bile acid sequestrants have been shown to reduce ASCVD events when
used as monotherapy in men with primary hypercholesterolemia. He
should continue the rosuvastatin and cholestyramine 4 g packet twice
daily should be added.
d. He should discontinue the rosuvastatin and begin lovastatin 40 mg daily.
c. Bile acid sequestrants have been shown to reduce ASCVD events when
used as monotherapy in men with primary hypercholesterolemia. He
should continue the rosuvastatin and cholestyramine 4 g packet twice
daily should be added.
Cholesterol esters & triglycerides are ______(soluble/insoluble) in water.
Insoluble
This lipoprotein is a variation of LDL, but is more atherogenic/ “sticky” than LDL.
Lipoprotein A
True or false?
Endothelial dysfunction has nothing to do with the traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis (i.e. HTN, DM, tobacco use, etc)
FALSE
Endothelial dysfunction is associated with many of the traditional risk factors: hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, hypertension, and tobacco use
How do statins work to lower cholesterol levels?
Inhibits an early rate limiting step in cholesterol synthesis (HMG-CoA to Mevalonic acid) within the liver
AKA: Reduces cholesterol synthesis in the liver.
Increases production of LDL receptors–> therefore increased removal of LDL from the blood stream
LDL’s are ________(small/large), making them _______(highly/not very) atherogenic
Small
Highly atherogenic
(Small density LDL’s are even more atherogenic)
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is a complex process involving: Endothelial dysfunction Dyslipidemia Inflammatory and Immunologic factors Plaque rupture Smoking
Atherosclerosis
True or false?
Evidence clearly shows that ASCVD events are reduced by using the maximum tolerated statin intensity in those groups shown to benefit.
TRUE
In what two situations would it be necessary to refer pt to a lipid specialist and registered dietician?
- high risk pt with statin intolerance
- patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
How often should you check labs on a pt who you start on a statin?
- Baseline prior to starting
- Repeat 4 to 12 weeks after starting statin therapy
- Then every 3 to 12 months as clinically indicated to assess for compliance
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) are cell surface __________ induced at endothelial sites of inflammation
glycoproteins
Adhesion molecules are responsible (in part) for the adherence of leukocytes to endothelium.
“Make things stick.”
Serum CRP is the BEST STUDIED of the inflammatory markers. ______ (high/low) CRP is consistently associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, however its fxn as a causal risk factor has not been established.
HIGH/elevated
TRUE OR FALSE?
Oxidation of LDL causes changes in vascular tone, induction of growth factors, increased platelet aggregation and the formation of autoantibodies
TRUE
There are ____ subclasses of LDL’s (all based on density differences).
7
Each has own LDL particle number.
This type of lipoprotein has a protective effect against atherosclerosis via the “Reverse Cholesterol Transport” system and
Helps clear excess cholesterol from circulation
High density lipoprotein
What are some common side effects of statins?
- Increased liver enzymes
- Muscle aches/pains
- Rhabdomyolosis
___ ____ ______ deliver cholesterol to tissues–gonads, adrenals, and rapidly dividing cells. Their coat is made up of ______.
Low density lipoproteins
phospholipids & apolipoprotein B-100 (APO-B)