Florida's response to the Physician's National Cholesterol Education Program

To assess the impact of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines, the 7,347 primary care members of the Florida Medical Association received a confidential mailed questionnaire. A follow-up survey polling 5% of the nonresponders validated the initial observations. Of the 1,909 analyzed returns, 96% of the physicians' responses indicated that they believed cholesterol is an important factor in preventing atherosclerosis. However, responses to other questions were far less uniform. For example, 92% of general internists (n = 495) reported being aware of the NCEP guidelines versus 98% of cardiologists (n = 212) (p less than .01) and only 78.7% of OB/GYN specialists (n = 218) (p less than .0001). While 88.2% of general internists responded that the guidelines were relevant in treating their patients, 80.2% of OB/GYN physicians answered likewise (p less than .03). Moreover, only 54% of OB/GYN specialists reported routinely measuring serum cholesterol in their patients compared to 96.7% of general internists (p less than .0001). Most Florida primary care physicians are aware of the NCEP guidelines; however, the impact varies widely among practitioners.