title: Differences in achieving treatment goals with statin use in various regions of Poland--3ST-POL study results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dyslipidemia is the most common factor leading to ischemic heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death. The use of statins is the most important preventative measure of ischemic heart disease; however, their efficacy in patients in Poland is still too low. The purpose of this study was to evaluate regional differences in achieving treatment goals in total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol levels in patients treated with statins on an outpatient basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was used to evaluate efficacy of treatment, completed by 49,950 patients in Poland treated with statins in 2008. The territory of Poland was divided into 4 research regions: the Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW) regions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The largest group of patients resided in the SW region, the smallest in the SE region. Participants of the study suffered from hypercholesterolemia, on average, for at least a year before completing the study survey. Effective treatment leading to achievement of target TC was observed in less than 10% of the patients. Rate of achievement of target cholesterol levels was highest in the NE region, lowest in the NW region. Cardiologists were more successful in achieving therapeutic goals than GPs. Similar correlations between regions and doctors' specializations were observed for LDL values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in the efficacy of treatment with statins were observed among the study group and were evaluated based on achievement of target TC and LDL cholesterol levels. Better results achieved in the NE region may be because the region includes the Masovian province, which is the most economically developed region in Poland.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; Public Health School, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Poland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Śliż
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Filipiak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naruszewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine. Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siebert
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamcarz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol