[Achieving the target lipid levels in Hungary, 2004]

Recent European and Hungarian guidelines of cardiovascular prevention have clearly defined the target levels in lipid lowering therapy.

To analyze the risk status of patients receiving long term lipid lowering therapy and the rate of achievement of target level in a Hungarian multicenter trial.

The investigation was performed in January and February of 2004 involving general practitioners and specialists (cardiologists, lipidologists). Applying a questionnaire the authors asked for risk factors and the further implementations in the knowledge of results of each doctors' 10 consecutive patients receiving lipid lowering therapy for at least one year.

LDL target levels accepted by the Hungarian Therapic Consensus Conference was achieved in 22% of GP's patients and 27% of specialists' patients, in 24% of patients, in average. According to risk stratification, the 83% of patients receiving lipid lowering therapy were at high risk, and 79% of these did not reach the suggested target level of serum total cholesterol. In 54% of patients not achieving target level the doctors continue the therapy without any modification. Considering therapy modification in the rest of patients, a dose increase was intended in 61%, change of drug in 31% of cases, and rarely the combination therapy.

While only a quarter of patients receiving lipid lowering treatment achieved the target levels, along with wide spreading of this kind of therapy further efforts should be made in order to achieve the levels defined in guidelines with dose increase or combination of appropriate drugs.