Objectives: To compare patients with hypercholesterolaemia (HC) for factors relating to the decision to treat a patient with medication or not; and to assess the suitability of a previously established protocol of HC diagnosis and treatment.
Design: Retrospective, descriptive study.
Setting: Primary care centre.
Patients: 331 patients diagnosed with HC in the register of risk factors at our centre. 175 patients treated with medication (TM) and 156 not treated with medication.
Results: Mean age was 61.2 and 191 were women. 68.8% of the population under study had 2 or more factors of cardiovascular risk (FCVR). 56 patients were in secondary prevention (71.4% TM). 275 patients (83.08%) were in primary prevention. 135 of these received TM, which was indicated only in 45 (37.5%). Mean plasma concentrations (PC) of cholesterol (total and LDL) were greater in the patients treated. 99.3% of non-treated patients and 96.9% of treated patients received dietary counselling. This was maintained in 95% of non-treated patients. The reduction of cholesterol in the PC reached 8% in diet-treated patients by the end of the study. Initially 42.8% were treated with fibrates, 38.9% with statins and 18.3% with resins. By the end of the study 53.6% were treated with statins.
Conclusions: The association of HC and other FCVR is common. In primary prevention, a high proportion of patients treated present cardiovascular risk which does not justify medical prescription. In secondary prevention we are closer to the current guidelines.