High Triglycerides Are Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Events, Medical Costs, and Resource Use: A Real‐World Administrative Claims Analysis of Statin‐Treated Patients With High Residual Cardiovascular Risk

Abstract

Background The American Heart Association recognizes high triglycerides as a cardiovascular risk factor. Methods and Results This retrospective observational administrative claims analysis (Optum Research Database) included statin‐treated patients ≥45 years old with diabetes mellitus and/or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, triglycerides 2.26 to 5.64 mmol/L, and a propensity‐matched comparator cohort with triglycerides 1.04 mmol/L. In the high‐triglycerides cohort versus comparators (both n=10 990, 49% women), mean age was 61.7 versus 62.2 years and follow‐up was 41.3 versus 42.1 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis of composite major cardiovascular events demonstrated significantly increased risk in the high‐triglycerides (n=13 411 patients) versus comparator (n=32 506 patients) cohorts (hazard ratio [HR], 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.225–1.485; P1.04 mmol/L.

Keywords

• atherosclerosis
• cost
• health economics
• outcome
• resource use
• statin therapy