title: [When and how do we treat our hypercholesterolemic patients?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare patients with hypercholesterolaemia (HC) for factors relating to the decision to treat a patient with medication or not; and to assess the suitability of a previously established protocol of HC diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  331 patients diagnosed with HC in the register of risk factors at our centre. 175 patients treated with medication (TM) and 156 not treated with medication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 61.2 and 191 were women. 68.8% of the population under study had 2 or more factors of cardiovascular risk (FCVR). 56 patients were in secondary prevention (71.4% TM). 275 patients (83.08%) were in primary prevention. 135 of these received TM, which was indicated only in 45 (37.5%). Mean plasma concentrations (PC) of cholesterol (total and LDL) were greater in the patients treated. 99.3% of non-treated patients and 96.9% of treated patients received dietary counselling. This was maintained in 95% of non-treated patients. The reduction of cholesterol in the PC reached 8% in diet-treated patients by the end of the study. Initially 42.8% were treated with fibrates, 38.9% with statins and 18.3% with resins. By the end of the study 53.6% were treated with statins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association of HC and other FCVR is common. In primary prevention, a high proportion of patients treated present cardiovascular risk which does not justify medical prescription. In secondary prevention we are closer to the current guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonet
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García Villena
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomás Santos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tapia Mayor
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gussinyé Canabal
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mundet Tuduri
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol
vernacular_title: Cuándo y cómo tratamos a nuestros pacientes hipercolesterémicos?