Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Clinical Cardiology, 46(8), 831–844. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.24059 Helen Huang et al.
Points
- Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) management focuses on reducing LDL cholesterol to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
- The COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on FH patients’ cardiovascular care, leading to worse outcomes, especially for those with early ASCVD.
- FH patients avoided seeking care due to COVID-19 fears, resulting in fewer consultations with lipidologists and cardiologists.
- Low socioeconomic communities and ethnic minorities were disproportionately affected, with job displacements and lack of healthcare coverage contributing to treatment nonadherence.
- To improve FH patient outcomes, the paper recommends universal screening, telemedicine, and lifestyle interventions, emphasizing the need for further research to address disparities within different subgroups.
Summary
This research paper delves into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH), a hereditary condition linked to mutations in the lipid pathway. The primary objective in treating FH is reducing circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and mitigating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Given the heightened vulnerability of FH patients to COVID-19, the study investigates whether the pandemic hindered their access to cardiovascular care.
The authors of this review conducted an extensive literature search using PubMed/Medline and ScienceDirect databases, summarizing pertinent findings from English-language articles. The study reveals that FH patients experienced deteriorating outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those with a history of early ASCVD. Many patients refrained from seeking medical care due to fears of viral transmission, resulting in adverse effects on their health. Consultations with lipidologists and cardiologists were significantly reduced, leading to a decline in lipid profile evaluations. The impact of the pandemic was especially pronounced in low socioeconomic communities and among ethnic minorities who faced job displacements and lacked adequate healthcare coverage, resulting in nonadherence to treatment regimens.
Lockdown measures during the pandemic encouraged sedentary lifestyles and increased the consumption of fatty meals, but their precise influence on cardiovascular risk in FH patients remains uncertain. To address these challenges, the paper advocates for universal screening programs, telemedicine services, and lifestyle interventions as critical measures to enhance outcomes for FH patients. It emphasizes the need for further research to ensure more effective and tailored interventions, particularly in investigating the disproportionate impact on different subgroups within the FH population.
Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/clc.24059
References Huang, H., Leung, K. S. K., Garg, T., Mazzoleni, A., Miteu, G. D., Zakariya, F., Awuah, W. A., Yin, E. T. S., Haroon, F., Hussain, Z., Aji, N., Jaiswal, V., & Tse, G. (2023). Barriers and shortcomings in access to cardiovascular management and prevention for familial hypercholesterolemia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Clinical Cardiology, 46(8), 831–844. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.24059
