title: Cholesterol management in general practice.
abstract: Ninety general practitioners from the Fylde coast of Lancashire responded to a questionnaire regarding lipid management, revealing that only 22% aim for a target total cholesterol of < or = 5.2 mmol/l in patients with established ischaemic heart disease. One third are reassessing the cholesterol in these patients at yearly intervals or less frequently, and 36% select 65 years or less as the upper age limit for screening. Approximately 50% of GPs screen for hypercholesterolaemia in patients with cerebral or peripheral vascular disease. Primary screening and treatment of hypercholesterolaemia within the 'at risk' asymptomatic population is well established with 72% of GPs screening hypertensives, 88% screening diabetics and almost all screening patients with an adverse family history, but the therapeutic cholesterol targets vary widely between individual practitioners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D011159:Population Surveillance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol