Cardiovascular risk reduction strategies in community pharmacy settings need real world angle

It is well established that cardiovascular risk reduction strategies are often not successful in primary care settings and several organizations suggest that community pharmacists should play a more active role. As a result, several studies have attempted to examine the benefits of involving community pharmacists in the management of cardiovascular-risk patients. While many have reported positive results, real-world implementation has been minimal at best. In our view, 3 major barriers to widespread implementation of published protocols exist: generalizability, efficiency, and strategic focus.