Between a Rock and a Hard Plaque: The Relationship Between LDL-C and ASCVD Risk and Improving Patient Outcomes with PCSK9 Inhibitors
ACPE Number:0204-0000-25-417-H01-P Content Release Date: February 19, 2026 Expiration Date: February 19, 2027 Activity Type: Application-based CE Credits: 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEUs) Activity Fee: Free
Activity Overview
Pharmacists can bridge the gap in ASCVD care with lipid screening, optimization of LDL-C lowering medication therapy, and improving medication adherence. In this program, experts will review updated guideline recommendations for ASCVD risk assessment and treatment; explore statin and nonstatin medications including current and emerging PCSK9 inhibitors; describe strategies for overcoming barriers to achieving LDL-C thresholds; and expand on strategies for increased patient engagement and shared decision-making to optimize outcomes.
*Please note, this activity was presented live on December 10, 2025 as part of the ASHP 2025 Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition. You can only claim credit once for this activity; live or home study.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education with Commendation.
This activity was planned to meet the educational needs of pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health systems, specialty pharmacies, ambulatory clinics, and community settings who manage patients at high risk for ASCVD or who have clinical ASCVD.
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Analyze the role of LDL-C in ASCVD and the importance of achieving LDL-C thresholds to reduce the risk of ASCVD events.
Prioritize lipid screening and risk stratification for patients at high risk for ASCVD and with clinical ASCVD, including patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, at-risk populations, and patients with high unmet needs.
Examine benefits and risks of current and emerging LDL-C lowering pharmacotherapies.
Apply current guideline-based recommendations to the treatment of patients at high risk for ASCVD and with clinical ASCVD who are eligible for nonstatin therapies including PCSK9 inhibitors.
Joseph Saseen, PharmD, FASHP, MNLA, BCPS, BCACP Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy; Professor, Department of Family Medicine Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Aurora, Colorado
Joseph Saseen,PharmD, FASHP, MNLA, BCPS, BCACP is Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and a Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr. Saseen’s academic and clinical practice contributions focus on cardiovascular risk reduction and population health. He was a member of the 2018 AHA/ACC/Multisociety cholesterol management guideline writing committee and is a member of the upcoming 2026 guideline. His scholarly work includes over 200 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.
Bruce A. Warden, PharmD, BCPS, CLS, FNLA, FASPC Clinical Pharmacist, General Cardiology Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University Portland, Oregon
Bruce A. Warden, PharmD, BCPS, CLS, FNLA, FASPC is a Cardiovascular Pharmacy Specialist at the General Cardiology Clinic, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon. He received his PharmD degree from the Oregon State University / OHSU and completed a one year post-graduate pharmacy practice residency at OHSU. Dr. Warden’s clinical practice area is cardiology, during which he has practiced in the inpatient acute care wards, cardiovascular intensive care unit and ambulatory settings including preventive cardiology, and most recently, the general cardiology clinic. Within these roles, he assists in the management of acute and chronic cardiovascular conditions, transitions of care, pharmacotherapy optimization, patient and provider education and student and resident development. Dr. Warden’s clinical and research interests include atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk reduction through cardiometabolic optimization, with a focus in lipid and weight management.
Jeffery S. Vender, MD, MCCM, MBA is the Emeritus, Harris Family Foundation Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois and a Clinical Professor at the University of Chicago Pritzker School Of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He is a past member of the NorthShore University Health System Faculty Practice Associates Board of Directors, Past Chair of the Medical Executive Committee for the Professional Staff at NorthShore and previously served on Northshore’s Board of Directors. Dr. Vender served as Chair of Anesthesia from 1990-2015 and received an appointment of adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. He served as the Director of the Critical Care Services at Evanston Hospital from 1987-2000 and the Interim Chairman at Northwestern University Department of Anesthesiology from July 1999 until October 2000. Dr. Vender has participated and Chaired numerous state and national committees of various medical organizations, edited several medical texts, has published over 135 articles and book chapters and has been an invited lecturer at over 250 national and international meetings on topics of anesthesiology, critical care, organizational change, and leadership. In addition, Dr. Vender serves as an editor and/or reviewer for many medical journals.
In accordance with our accreditor’s Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ASHP requires that all individuals in control of content disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies. An individual has a relevant financial relationship if they have had a financial relationship with an ineligible company in any dollar amount in the past 24 months and the educational content that the individual controls is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
An ineligible company is any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. The presence or absence of relevant financial relationships will be disclosed to the activity audience.
The following persons in control of this activity’s content have relevant financial relationships:
Joseph Saseen: Amgen – Member, Data Safety Managing Board (DSMB)
All other persons in control of content do not have any relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company. As defined by the Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education definition of ineligible company. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the CE activity.
To receive CE credit, complete the steps below within 60 days of completing the activity.
View the entire presentation and answer all polling questions.
Click "Complete Activity" on last slide then complete the evaluation to claim credit.
Verify credits were successfully transferred to CPE Monitor before the ACPE 60-day deadline by checking your NABP eProfile account.
Important Note – ACPE 60 Day Deadline Per ACPE requirements, CPE credit must be claimed within 60 days of being earned – no exceptions! To verify that you have completed the required steps and to ensure your credits have been reported to CPE Monitor, we encourage you to check your NABP eProfile account to validate your credits were transferred successfully before the ACPE 60-day deadline. After the 60 day deadline, ASHP will no longer be able to award credit for this activity.
