title: Factors related to the effectiveness of hypercholesterolemia treatment following hospitalization for coronary artery disease.
abstract: INTRODUCTION    Patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) are at high risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. OBJECTIVES    The aim of the study was to identify factors related to control of hypercholesterolemia in patients after hospitalization for CAD. PATIENTS AND METHODS    The study included consecutive patients from 5 hospitals with cardiology departments serving one city in southern Poland. Patients were hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome or for a myocardial revascularization procedure. Interviews and examinations were conducted 6 to 18 months after hospitalization. RESULTS    Overall, 83.6% of the patients were taking statins; 2.1%, fibrates; and 0.5%, ezetimibe. A statin at a high dose (≥40 mg of atorvastatin or ≥20 mg of rosuvastatin) was taken by 36.1% of the participants. Younger age and index hospitalization in a teaching hospital were significantly associated with a higher probability of taking a statin. Overall, 28.1% of the patients had good control of hypercholesterolemia (low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol levels <1.8 mmol/l), whereas 71.9%, 38.6%, 24.4%, and 10.3% had LDL cholesterol levels of 1.8 mmol/l or higher, 2.5 mmol/l or higher, 3.0 mmol/l or higher, and 4.0 mmol/l or higher, respectively. Younger age, high blood pressure, and high fasting glucose levels were related to a higher probability of having LDL cholesterol levels of 1.8 mmol/l or higher, while younger age, shorter period of education, professional inactivity, lack of cardiac rehabilitation, and high blood pressure were related to the probability of LDL cholesterol levels of 4.0 mmol/l or higher. CONCLUSIONS    The frequency of statin use is affected by age and health care-related factors, while control of hypercholesterolemia after hospitalization due to CAD is dependent mainly on patient-related and clinical factors.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Czarnecka
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Łukaszewska
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Łysek
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wolfshaut-Wolak
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bogacki
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grodecki
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mirek-Bryniarska
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nessler
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Podolec
authors.forename: Kalina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawecka-Jaszcz
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pająk
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents