Faculty Collaboration Database

Compliance with the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines for hyperlipidemia in a resident-run ambulatory clinic: a retrospective data analysis. J Clin Lipidol 2013;7(1):43-7

Date

01/29/2013

Pubmed ID

23351582

DOI

10.1016/j.jacl.2012.06.004

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84872926406 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: One in every six adults (16.3% of the U.S. adult population) has high total cholesterol levels, and they are at double the risk of heart disease compared with people with optimal levels.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate compliance of internal medicine residents with the latest National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) guidelines in treating patients with hyperlipidemia.

DESIGN: Retrospective observational study.

SETTING: Ambulatory Clinic, Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts.

PATIENTS: Patients with a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia who attended the clinic during a 1-ear period, from December 2009 to November 2010.

MEASUREMENTS: A review of medical records was conducted to evaluate residents' compliance with the NCEP-ATP III guidelines for LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol management.

RESULTS: Seven hundred seventy charts were reviewed. Only 212 (27.5%) met the inclusion criteria. Analysis of data revealed better compliance with drug therapy (44%-77%) and therapeutic lifestyle changes (44%-83%) when compared with follow-up recommendations (22%-31%). An increase in compliance also was noted in all areas of intervention when patients had an abnormal lipid profile.

LIMITATIONS: Compliance was assessed on the basis of electronic medical record documentation alone and hence we may be underestimating compliance with therapeutic lifestyle changes and follow-up recommendations.

CONCLUSION: Compliance among internal medicine residents in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with hyperlipidemia according to NCEP-ATP III guidelines was suboptimal and needs improvement.

Author List

Vijayakrishnan R, Kalyatanda G, Srinivasan I, Abraham GM

Author

Rajakrishnan Vijayakrishnan MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Ambulatory Care Facilities
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, LDL
Female
Guidelines as Topic
Health Behavior
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypolipidemic Agents
Life Style
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Compliance
Physicians
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors