Which factor qualifies a patient for high-intensity statin therapy?

High-intensity statin therapy is primarily indicated for patients with a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) such as a myocardial infarction. This is because high-intensity statins are shown to significantly reduce the risk of subsequent cardiovascular events in patients who have already experienced a major cardiovascular event. The goal is to lower LDL cholesterol levels substantially, which has been demonstrated to lead to better outcomes in these individuals.

Patients with a history of myocardial infarction are part of a high-risk category that benefits from aggressive cholesterol management. This corresponds with clinical guidelines that emphasize the importance of statin therapy in secondary prevention for this patient population. Therefore, the presence of a prior myocardial infarction qualifies a patient for high-intensity statin therapy due to the substantial evidence supporting its effectiveness in reducing further cardiovascular risks.

Other factors mentioned, such as blood pressure or A1C levels, do not directly qualify a patient for high-intensity statin therapy as they may pertain to cardiovascular risk in a more general sense, but are not specific criteria to initiate such aggressive lipid-lowering treatment.