Therapeutic inertia in the management of hyperlipidaemia in type 2 diabetic patients: a cross-sectional study in the primary care setting

Objectives: To study the prevalence of therapeutic inertia in lipid management among type 2 diabetic patients in the primary care setting and to explore associated factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving type 2 diabetic patients with suboptimal lipid control followed up in all general out-patient clinics of Kowloon Central Cluster in Hong Kong from 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2013. Main outcome measures included prevalence of therapeutic inertia in low-density lipoprotein management among type 2 diabetic patients and its association with patient and physician characteristics. Results: Based on an agreed standard, lipid control was suboptimal in 49.1% (n=9647) of type 2 diabetic patients who attended for a regular annual check-up (n=19 662). Among the sampled 369 type 2 diabetic patients with suboptimal lipid control, therapeutic inertia was found to be present in 244 cases, with a prevalence rate of 66.1%. When the attending doctors' profiles were compared, the mean duration of clinical practice was significantly longer in the therapeutic inertia group than the non therapeutic inertia group. Doctors without prior training in family medicine were also found to have a higher rate of therapeutic inertia. Patients in the therapeutic inertia group had longer disease duration, a higher co-morbidity rate of cardiovascular disease, and a closer-to-normal low density lipoprotein level. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lack of family medicine training among doctors was positively associated with the presence of therapeutic inertia whereas patient's low-density lipoprotein level was inversely associated. Conclusions: Therapeutic inertia was common in the lipid management of patients with type 2 diabetes in a primary care setting. Lack of family medicine training among doctors and patient's low-density lipoprotein level were associated with the presence of therapeutic inertia. Further study of the barriers and strategies to overcome therapeutic inertia is needed to improve patient outcome in this aspect of chronic disease management.