[Map of resources and healthcare needs for patients with dyslipidaemia in Spain: The MADI study].
BACKGROUND
Dyslipidaemia is a major modifiable determining factor of vascular risk and, despite this, a significant number of patients do not achieve lipid goals. The aim of this study is to describe the resources and current needs in clinical practice in Spain, through an analysis of management, organisation and the patient care circuit of dyslipidaemia patient.


METHODS
A descriptive, cross-sectional, multicentre study, using a questionnaire, was conducted on physicians, 266 in primary care (PC) and 258 in specialised care (SC), who attended patients with dyslipidaemia in hospitals and centres within the National Health System. Probabilistic analyses were performed, stratifying by care-level, existence of a lipid unit (LU), and geographic area.


RESULTS
Observed differences were mostly due to geographic location, rather than the existence of LU in the referral hospitals. Most system deficiencies were found in the southern provinces of the country. Nearly all primary care physicians declared that they diagnose, manage and control dyslipidaemia patients, but a general agreement was lacking for diagnostic and referral criteria. The scarce use of a shared protocol between PC and SC showed evidence of poor coordination between health care providers. Furthermore, there was a remarkably low proportion of patients receiving health care education for their disease.


CONCLUSIONS
This study emphasises the need to identify weaknesses in the dyslipidaemia patient care circuit, and to perform the appropriate remedial actions, in particular, to promote coordination between levels of care and to foster patient education about their disease.
Unidad de Lípidos, Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital del Mar, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: 86620@parcdesalutmar.cat.
Juan
J
Pedro-Botet
Unidad de Lípidos, Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital del Mar, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
Elisenda
E
Climent
Línea de investigación, Grupo Saned, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
Eva
E
Giralt Martínez
Unidad de Lípidos, Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital del Mar, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
Juana A
JA
Flores-Le Roux
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Atención especializada; Atención primaria; Care circuit; Circuito asistencial; Dislipidemia; Dyslipidaemia; Health care levels; Lipid unit; Niveles asistenciales; Primary health care; Specialised care; Unidad de lípidos