Cholesterol management in general practice

Current Medical Research and Opinion
H L White, D H Roberts

Abstract

Ninety general practitioners from the Fylde coast of Lancashire responded to a questionnaire regarding lipid management, revealing that only 22% aim for a target total cholesterol of < or = 5.2 mmol/l in patients with established ischaemic heart disease. One third are reassessing the cholesterol in these patients at yearly intervals or less frequently, and 36% select 65 years or less as the upper age limit for screening. Approximately 50% of GPs screen for hypercholesterolaemia in patients with cerebral or peripheral vascular disease. Primary screening and treatment of hypercholesterolaemia within the 'at risk' asymptomatic population is well established with 72% of GPs screening hypertensives, 88% screening diabetics and almost all screening patients with an adverse family history, but the therapeutic cholesterol targets vary widely between individual practitioners.

References

Dec 15, 1990·Annals of Internal Medicine·S M RubinS R Cummings
Mar 1, 1983·British Heart Journal·D S ThelleI Patel
Sep 28, 1995·The American Journal of Cardiology·R P ByingtonM G Bond
Oct 15, 1994·Lancet·J E PedersenA Banning
Mar 1, 1994·The British Journal of Surgery·H Gajraj, C W Jamieson

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