Exploring the Perceptions and Behaviours of UK Prescribers Concerning Novel Lipid-Lowering Agent Prescriptions: A Qualitative Study

TL;DR

This study explores how UK healthcare professionals perceive and handle prescribing new cholesterol-lowering drugs, identifying barriers and solutions for better patient care.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into UK prescribers' challenges and enablers in adopting novel lipid-lowering therapies through qualitative analysis.

Findings

Prescribers face barriers like inexperience and lack of confidence with new lipid-lowering therapies.

Education and training are seen as key to improving prescribing practices and patient outcomes.

Patient misconceptions and health literacy issues hinder acceptance of newer therapies.

Abstract

Reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels lowers the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. With the current and future portfolios of emerging lipid-lowering therapies included in various national and international guidelines, the objectives of this study were (i) to investigate the perceptions of UK prescribers’, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, on current lipid management for cardiovascular diseases and prescriptions of novel lipid-lowering therapies, and (ii) to explore the challenges and facilitating factors of prescribing novel lipid-lowering therapies through qualitative interviews. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with twelve medical and non-medical prescribers were conducted, around 20–30 min in length. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed on an online platform. A thematic analysis was deployed. Four major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) prescribing barriers; (2) prescribing enablers; (3) inter-profession variability; and (4) health literacy. These themes highlighted the contrast between the need for optimal shared decision making and the various constraints in practice. Participants expressed their inexperience with novel lipid-lowering therapies and acknowledged the requirement and importance of these agents for primary cardiovascular disease prevention. Participants recognised confidence and competence as key drivers for prescribing therapies and welcomed further education and training to enhance their skillset. Patients’ misconceptions towards current lipid-lowering therapies contributed to their refusal of newer agents, highlighting a requirement to improve patient education. Targeting communities through awareness campaigns was identified as a viable solution.

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