Guideline-driven intervention on SCI-associated dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and glucose intolerance using pharmacological agents

This review summarizes current thinking and evidence-based recommendations for pharmacotherapy in the treatment of dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and glucose intolerance as a basis for their application to individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Although the evidence that subjects with an SCI are categorically at increased risk for cardiovascular disease is mixed, a significant number of such patients have cardiometabolic risk factors and therefore a systematic approach to this problem is important. The guidelines discussed are those recommended by the Adult Treatment Panel III of the National Cholesterol Education Program. These focus primarily on low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol (LDL-C). Several cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and glucose intolerance constitute possible targets for pharmacotherapy beyond LDL-C.