Achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol therapeutic goal in lipid and vascular risk units of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society

Objective: To evaluate low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDLc) goal achievement among dyslipidemic patients treated in lipid and vascular risk units of the Spanish Society of Arteriosclerosis (SEA). The LDLc goal was based on the 2007 European guidelines for cardiovascular prevention. Design: Observational, longitudinal, retrospective, multicenter national study that included consecutive patients of both sexes over 18 years of age referred for dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk. Information was collected from medical records corresponding to two visits in the lipid unit. Results: We included 1,828 patients from 43 lipid units. In the initial visit, 846 (46.3%) patients were on lipid lowering drug treatment. On the follow-up there was a significant increase in the use of cholesterol-lowering agents, except for a decrease in the use of nicotinic acid. 65.3% of patients with vascular disease and 50.4% with diabetes achieved an LDLc level < 100 mg/dL. Overall, 44.7% of patients achieved the LDLc goal and the predictors in the multivariate analysis were age, waist circumference, diabetes and the presence of vascular disease. Conclusion: Dyslipidemic patients referred to SEA lipid units have improved LDLc goal achievement after follow-up compared with data reported from previous studies in other health care settings. This improvement was associated with a substantial increase in the prescription of statins, both in monotherapy and combined with ezetimibe. There is still a wide room for improvement in the effectiveness of hypercholesterolemia treatment. (C) 2013 Elsevier Espana, S.L. y SEA. All rights reserved.