[How many patients need treatment for hypercholesterolemia?]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Pharmacology

Context:

• Hypercholesterolemia prevalence and treatment needs vary significantly across populations.
• Current guidelines for pharmacologic intervention in hypercholesterolemia differ in their criteria.
• Assessing cardiovascular risk is essential for guiding treatment decisions.

Purpose:

• To determine the proportion of a population requiring pharmacologic treatment for hypercholesterolemia based on diverse guidelines.
• To compare the treatment recommendations of the US National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), The European Society of Atherosclerosis, and The Spanish Society of Atherosclerosis.
• To evaluate the utility of the Framingham risk score in identifying individuals who would benefit from lipid-lowering medication.

Summary:

• A descriptive transversal study in Lleida, Spain, analyzed 401 individuals to assess hypercholesterolemia treatment needs.
• Prevalence of cholesterolemia > 250 mg/dl was 16.3% in men and 22.4% in women.
• Treatment recommendations varied: NCEP suggested treatment for 20.5% of men and 17.6% of women (aged >6), while the Framingham equation identified 13.7% (23.9% men, 3.5% women) with >20% 10-year cardiovascular risk (aged 30-75).

Impact:

• Highlights the variability in hypercholesterolemia treatment recommendations based on different guidelines.
• Emphasizes the importance of using the Framingham cardiovascular risk equation for precise identification of individuals needing lipid-lowering therapy.
• Supports a more targeted approach to pharmacologic treatment, enhancing protection for high-risk populations against cardiovascular disease.