Viet Le, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C, FACC, FAHA

An expert discusses how primary and secondary prevention differ in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with secondary prevention targeting patients who have already had events such as heart attacks or strokes and primary prevention addressing high-risk patients with multiple risk factors. He explains that statin intolerance can be complete (due to severe complications such as rhabdomyolysis) or partial (ranging from mild to severe muscle aches), while statin resistance occurs when patients tolerate the medication but don’t achieve expected LDL cholesterol reductions.