Long-term effects on cholesterol levels and the utilization of lipid-lowering drugs of a hospital-based programme for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
The study was designed to determine whether a 1-year hospital-based secondary prevention programme would have any long-term effects on serum lipid levels and the use of lipid-lowering drugs in patients with coronary artery disease 4 years after referral to primary care facilities for follow-up.


METHODS
After acute myocardial infarction or coronary bypass surgery, 241 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to conventional care (CC) by the primary health care facilities or to a 1-year hospital-based secondary prevention programme (SPP) with target levels for serum cholesterol (< 5.2 mmol/l) and triglycerides (< 1.5 mmol/l). After 1 year all patients were referred to the primary care sector for a further 4-year follow-up.


RESULTS
At the 1-year follow-up there was a significant decrease in serum cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the SPP group but no change in the CC group, and lipid-lowering drugs were used more frequently in the SPP group. These changes were maintained after 5 years. The proportion of patients achieving target serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were larger in the SPP group.


CONCLUSIONS
Initiatives regarding cholesterol lowering and drug treatment taken by specialists within a structured hospital-based SPP have long-term impact. Accordingly, drug treatment should be initiated and adjusted to adequate doses before patients are referred to primary care for follow-up.
Stagmo
M
M
Department of Cardiology, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. martin.stagmo@skane.se
Westin
L
L
Carlsson
R
R
Israelsson
B
B
D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol