The cost-effectiveness of lipid lowering for primary cardiovascular prevention in chronic kidney disease: moving beyond statins

Abstract

Because of high risk of cardiovascular disease, patients with chronic kidney disease may benefit from cholesterol-lowering therapy beyond statins. A cost-effectiveness analysis of adding ezetimibe to high-dose statins for primary cardiovascular disease prevention in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease found treatment with ezetimibe to be cost-effective for many patients with chronic kidney disease. We describe the importance of this topic and explain key assumptions necessary for the investigators to arrive at their conclusions.