Patients with very-high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who achieve an LDL cholesterol level below 55 mg/dL within 4 to 12 weeks after discharge experience a 19% lower rate of cardiovascular-related hospitalizations and a 31% shorter average length of stay during follow-up compared to those who do not achieve this LDL target.

When bad cholesterol drops below 55 mg/dL, it stops entering artery walls, which stops immune cells from turning into fat-filled foam cells and reduces swelling inside the arteries. This makes the fatty plaques harder and less likely to burst. When plaques don't burst, blood clots don't form, so heart attacks and strokes happen less often, leading to fewer hospital visits and shorter stays.