title: Prevalence of potential familial hypercholesteremia (FH) in 54,811 statin-treated patients in clinical practice.
abstract: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a life-threatening disease, characterized by elevated LDL-C levels and a premature, increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) that is globally underdiagnosed. The percentage of patients with possible or probable FH in various countries was examined in the Dyslipidemia International Study (DYSIS).
  
  
  
  DYSIS is a multinational, cross-sectional observational study of 54,811 adult outpatients treated with statin therapy. The percentages of patients with high levels of LDL-C, and with possible or probable FH, were assessed using the Dutch scoring method for FH across 29 countries, in age subgroups for the analysis population and among diabetes patients.
  
  
  
  Despite statin therapy, 16.1% (range 4.4-27.6%) of patients had LDL-C >3.6 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) across countries and the prevalence of possible FH was 15.0% (range 5.5-27.8%) and 1.1% (range 0.0-5.4%) for probable FH. The highest percentages of probable FH occurred in Egypt (5.4%), the Baltic states (4.2%), Russia (3.2%), and Slovenia (3.1%), with the lowest rates in Israel (0.0%), Canada (0.2%), and Sweden (0.3%). Rates of FH were the highest in younger patients (45-54 years) for secondary prevention, regardless of the presence/absence of diabetes.
  
  
  
  Despite statin therapy, high LDL-C levels and rates of possible and probable FH were observed in some countries. The prevalence of FH was the highest in younger age patients, and >60% of patients with probable FH displayed CHD. Earlier diagnosis and treatment of patients with FH are needed to reduce CHD risk in these patients.
authors: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Italy; IRCCS Multimedica, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: alberico.catapano@unimi.it.
authors: Alberico L
authors: AL
authors: Catapano
authors: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.
authors: Dominik
authors: D
authors: Lautsch
authors: Hacettepe University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Lale
authors: L
authors: Tokgözoglu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Toulouse University School of Medicine, Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Ferrieres
authors: Institut Herzinfarktforschung, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Horack
authors: Lipid Clinic, Point Médical, Dijon, France.
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Farnier
authors: CGH Medical Center, Sterling, IL, USA; Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Peter P
authors: PP
authors: Toth
authors: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Brudi
authors: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.
authors: Joanne E
authors: JE
authors: Tomassini
authors: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA.
authors: Baishali
authors: B
authors: Ambegaonkar
authors: Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Med. Klinik B and Stiftung Institut Herzinfarktforschung, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors: Anselm K
authors: AK
authors: Gitt
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D055502:Secondary Prevention
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: CHD; Combination therapy; Familial hypercholesterolemia; LDL-C; Statin