PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 263 - 20 May 2000 Antihyperlipidaemics underused at US HMO The large majority of patients requiring lipid-lowering agents for hypercholesterolaemia are not adequately treated, report investigators from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US. ‘Cholesterol management practices recommended by the NCEP guidelines have been poorly adopted by primary care physicians in our study setting’, conclude the investigators. * Their retrospective study involved 348 HMO ** enrollees with ≥ 1 risk factor for coronary artery disease who were seen at a primary-care outpatient clinic in Southern Florida between January 1992 and December 1996. The study showed that only 16 (14%) of 118 patients who should have received lipid-lowering therapy, according to the NCEP-ATP II guidelines, † had such therapy prescribed during the 5-year study period. Of these 16 patients, 7 (44%) were taking gemfibrozil, 5 (31%) were taking nicotinic acid [niacin] and 4 (25%) were taking an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. 106 of the 348 patients were considered candidates for dietary therapy, but the information in the medical records of these patients was insufficient to judge whether such therapy was provided. The problem of underuse of lipid-lowering medications in this study may be associated with the HMO’s risk-sharing capitation agreement with its providers, suggest the investigators. * NCEP = National Cholesterol Education Program ** health maintenance organisation † NCEP-Adult Treatment Panel II Lai LL, et al. Are patients with hyperlipidemia being treated? Investigation of cholesterol treatment practices in an HMO primary care setting. Southern Medical Journal 93: 283-286, Mar 2000 800816955 1 PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 20 May 2000 No. 263 1173-5503/10/0263-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved

Antihyperlipidaemics underused at US HMO

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 263 - 20 May 2000

Antihyperlipidaemics underused atUS HMO

The large majority of patients requiring lipid-loweringagents for hypercholesterolaemia are not adequatelytreated, report investigators from Nova SoutheasternUniversity in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US. ‘Cholesterolmanagement practices recommended by the NCEPguidelines have been poorly adopted by primary carephysicians in our study setting’, conclude theinvestigators.*

Their retrospective study involved 348 HMO**

enrollees with ≥ 1 risk factor for coronary artery diseasewho were seen at a primary-care outpatient clinic inSouthern Florida between January 1992 and December1996.

The study showed that only 16 (14%) of 118 patientswho should have received lipid-lowering therapy,according to the NCEP-ATP II guidelines,† had suchtherapy prescribed during the 5-year study period. Ofthese 16 patients, 7 (44%) were taking gemfibrozil, 5(31%) were taking nicotinic acid [niacin] and 4 (25%)were taking an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor. 106 of the348 patients were considered candidates for dietarytherapy, but the information in the medical records ofthese patients was insufficient to judge whether suchtherapy was provided.

The problem of underuse of lipid-loweringmedications in this study may be associated with theHMO’s risk-sharing capitation agreement with itsproviders, suggest the investigators.* NCEP = National Cholesterol Education Program** health maintenance organisation† NCEP-Adult Treatment Panel II

Lai LL, et al. Are patients with hyperlipidemia being treated? Investigation ofcholesterol treatment practices in an HMO primary care setting. Southern MedicalJournal 93: 283-286, Mar 2000 800816955