Purpose: Despite major advances in cardiology dyslipidemia continues to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. The study aimed to evaluate current prevalence of dyslipidemia and treatment efficacy in both coronary and non-coronary subjects.
Methods: 17,065 subjects aged 30-95 years (20.51%--coronary heart disease (CHD) patients), seeking medical help for disparate reasons from 675 family physicians, were randomly enrolled. Family physicians completed pertinent questionnaires against available medical records and measured patients' lipid levels during a single appointment.
Results: Dyslipidemia was detected in 73% of the CHD subjects vs. 46% of the non-CHD ones (p = 0.00001); its severity differing regionally. Hypolipemic treatment was administered to 82% of the CHD subjects vs. 12% of the non-CHD ones (p = 0.00001). Mean concentrations of LDL-cholesterol were higher in the treated subjects (p = 0.00002). Only 10% of the CHD subjects and 20% of the non-CHD ones were treated effectively for dyslipidemiae.
Conclusions: Dyslipidemia was found widely prevalent nationwide, as well as poorly pharmacologically controlled in both primary and secondary prevention. Diversity of economic factors notwithstanding, this was mainly attributable to ineffective patient educational policies, meriting therefore immediate expansion and enhancement of existing disease management system in terms of adequate monitoring and effective treatment of key coronary risk factors.