title: Persistent lipid abnormalities in patients treated with statins: Portuguese results of the Dyslipidemia International Study (DYSIS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and one of the most important causes of morbidity in Western societies. Dyslipidemia is an important risk factor for CVD and effective treatment significantly reduces cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence and type of persistent lipid abnormalities in patients treated with statins.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Dyslipidemia International Study (DYSIS) was a multicenter, epidemiologic cross-sectional study conducted in 12 European countries and Canada. Patients > or = 45 years old, treated with statins for at least three months during the enrolment period from April 2008 to February 2009, were sequentially enrolled. This study presents the results for the Portuguese population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Portugal, 916 patients were recruited in 125 centers; mean age was 64.1 +/- 9.9 years and 47.1% were women. Most patients (66.7%) presented high cardiovascular risk. The most frequently used statin was simvastatin (55.9%; dose 21.3 +/- 6.2 mg/day) and only 15.3% of the patients were simultaneously taking other lipid-lowering agents. In most patients, LDL (62.9%; n = 883) and total cholesterol (68%; n = 883) were not at the target levels recommended by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). It was also found that 22% of patients presented lower HDL values than those recommended and that 39% presented high triglyceride levels. LDL outside the target range was the most common abnormality, both when assessed separately and when combined with low HDL and high triglycerides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of patients with lipid abnormalities was very significant, especially for LDL, considering that all were under statin therapy.
authors.affiliation: Serviço Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: P Marques
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: S Massano
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069438:Ezetimibe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001384:Azetidines; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D014280:Triglycerides; D019821:Simvastatin; D000069438:Ezetimibe