title: Recall of A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels among community pharmacy patients with diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus who knew their personal and target glycosylated hemoglobin (AIC), blood pressure, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (ABC) levels and the proportion of patients whose recalled ABC levels were below targets set by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  35 community and clinic pharmacies in May 2003 through May 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  132 student pharmacists in Ambulatory Pharmaceutical Care Clerkship who recruited a convenience sample of 816 evaluable patients with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Student-administered questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients' self-reported and target ABC values and comparison of these with recommended ADA guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The greatest number of patients were able to recall their personal blood pressure level (68%), followed by A1C (53%) and LDL-C (23%). Of those who knew their levels, one-half or fewer were within ADA targets for one or more ABCs. Only 1% of patients who were able to provide ABC levels were below all three ADA target values. Patients were most likely to provide an A1C target (43%), followed by blood pressure (35%) and LDL-C (21%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While almost three-quarters of the patients identified in community pharmacies knew their blood pressure levels, one-half or fewer knew their A1C or LDL-C levels. Fewer than 50% of patients reported even one ABC target number. Pharmacists should take advantage of this educational opportunity by working with patients with diabetes to increase their knowledge of these ABCs.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. lmguirguis@pharmacy.ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Guirguis
authors.forename: Mara A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kieser
authors.forename: Betty A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Chewning
authors.forename: Nathan L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Kanous
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D010361:Patients; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin