Lipid lowering treatment patterns and goal attainment in Nordic patients with hyperlipidemia.
OBJECTIVE
Observational studies and surveys have shown that lipid-lowering treatment is not optimal neither with regard to number of patients treated nor with number of patients achieving recommended goals. To address this issue in the Nordic countries, we evaluated the published literature on lipid-lowering therapies in preventive cardiology in this region.


METHODS
Nordic papers published from 2000 throughout 2006 dealing with lipid-lowering management in coronary heart disease prevention were identified. In total, 19 studies were analyzed.


RESULTS
Approximately half of the patients are inadequately treated and have not achieved recommended treatment goals of total cholesterol <5.0 and LDL-cholesterol <3.0 mmol/L. Statins were prescribed most often in low or medium doses. The predictive factors for treatment were cholesterol level, risk of cardiovascular disease, previous cardiovascular disease, age, and gender.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a considerable need to improve standards of preventive cardiology. Statins have to be given evidence based to achieve treatment goals according to lipid levels, and higher doses of statins or combination therapy with a statin and a cholesterol absorption inhibitor or niacin is often needed.
Svilaas
Arne
A
Lipid Clinic, Department of Medicine, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway. asvilaas@online.no
Strandberg
Timo
T
Eriksson
Mats
M
Hildebrandt
Per
P
Westheim
Arne
A
D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009525:Niacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D009525:Niacin; D002784:Cholesterol