Course Overview
This Ausmed Course will review the nature of hypercholesterolaemia, risk factors for cardiovascular disease and lipid-lowering medicines.
Topics
- Incidence of cardiovascular disease
- What are lipids?
- Risk factors and target lipid levels
- Lipid-lowering medicines including statins, ezetimibe, fibrates, bile acid binding agents, fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids, nicotinic acid (niacin), and PCSK9 inhibitors.
Need
Pharmacological therapy and medication administration are fundamental in safe patient care. This Ausmed Course holds a strong and ethical patient focus while providing ongoing education to healthcare professionals in order to have a positive impact on patient outcomes.
Pharmacists, as providers of medicines and advisors to medicine use, must fully understand the concepts and practical applications of hypercholesterolaemia and lipid-lowering medicines administered in patient care.
However, many of the principles underlying how medicines work are often difficult to comprehend. As safe administration of medicines is a priority, it is essential that pharmacists and other healthcare professionals continue to demonstrate knowledge of the pharmacological and clinical uses of lipid-lowering medicines.
Purpose
The purpose of this Ausmed Course is to provide healthcare professionals with education relating to the appropriate use of lipid-lowering medicines.
Learning Outcomes
- Improved knowledge of lipid-lowering therapy in Australia including risk factors and incidence.
- Interpret the significance of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.
- Briefly describe the pharmacology of lipid-lowering treatments available.
- List sources of information for managing possible adverse effects and drug interactions of common lipid-modifying medicines.
Target Audience
Pharmacists, nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals who are involved in the prescribing, dispensing and administration of cholesterol-lowering medications throughout patient care.
Disclosure
No conflict of interest exists for anyone in the position to control content for this activity. Wherever possible, generic or non-proprietary names of medications or products have been used.