Technology-Assisted Self-Selection of Candidates for Nonprescription Statin Therapy

Background: Although statins reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, only about one-half of eligible patients receive treatment. Safe and appropriate consumer access to statins could have a significant positive public health impact.

Objectives: This study compares the concordance between a participant and clinician assessment of eligibility for statin therapy using a technology-assisted approach.

Methods: A total of 500 participants, 83 with limited literacy, completed an at-home Web-based application to assess appropriateness for treatment with rosuvastatin 5 mg. The Web application is designed to assess eligibility for a moderate-intensity statin based on current guidelines and deny access to individuals with contraindications to rosuvastatin. Subsequently, participants visited a research site where clinicians, blinded to the information the participant entered, performed an independent Web application assessment. The Web application is programmed for 1 of 3 rosuvastatin treatment outcomes: "OK to use," "not right for you," or "ask a doctor." The primary endpoint was the percent of participants whose self-selected eligibility for nonprescription rosuvastatin was concordant with clinician assessment.

Results: For the primary endpoint, participant selection for statin therapy was concordant with clinician selection in 481 (96.2%) of 500 participants (95% confidence interval: 94.1%-97.7%), of whom 23 (4.6%) were deemed appropriate and 458 (91.6%) were deemed inappropriate for treatment. Discordance was due to incorrect self-selection ("OK to use") in 3 cases, incorrect rejection ("not right for you") in 14 cases and an incorrect "ask a doctor" outcome in 2 cases.

Conclusions: The use of a technology-assisted approach to consumer self-selection for statin therapy resulted in participant self-selection that showed substantial agreement with clinician selection.