Reminder: Statin Therapy

The American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines recommend moderate to high-intensity statin therapy for primary prevention in patients with diabetes 40 to 75 years of age. In 2017, CMS adopted statin use in patients with diabetes as a measure in the Star Ratings program.

Best Practices and Measure Tips

• Prescribe at least one statin medication during the measurement year to patients diagnosed with diabetes.
• Medication samples, when given, could interfere with pharmacy claims and produce false non-adherence results.
• Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) should be prescribed a moderate-intensity or high-intensity statin.
• Educate patients on the importance of statin medications for diabetic patients 40 years of age and older, regardless of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) levels.
• Remind patients to contact you as their provider if they think they are experiencing adverse effects, such as myalgia. Note: Consider trying a different statin that is more hydrophilic or reducing the dose or frequency.