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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Differential Effects of Lipid-lowering Drugs in Modulating Morphology of Cholesterol Particles
Published on: November 10, 2017
[Medical guidelines and medical practices: The example of lipid lowering therapy]
Marie-Ange Grondin1, Lemlih Ouchchane, Jean Ferrières
1Unité épidémiologie, économie de la santé et prévention, Délégation qualité, Département de santé publique, Hôtel-Dieu, Clermont-Ferrand (63). M.Ange.GRONDIN@u-clermont1.fr
Introduction:
The SPOT epidemiologic survey assessed the results of long-term cholesterol-lowering therapy in France and the reasons why patients do or do not meet their therapeutic objectives.
Objective:
To assess the guidelines on which doctors base their practices for cholesterol-lowering therapy and make suggestions to improve the match between recommendations and practices.
Methods:
LDL cholesterol was measured in 2479 French outpatients in 2003 and classified according to whether it met therapeutic objectives of 3 different scales: the official French (AFSSAPS) recommendations issued in 2000, the physician's opinion of the ideal level for the patient, and the physician's goal level for the patient. Agreement between these 3 criteria was analyzed.
Results:
French doctors used guidelines stricter than the official recommendations to assess the achievement of lipid-lowering objectives.
Discussion:
Physicians rely more on American than French guidelines. They also considered the patient's history and clinical condition in setting individual goals.
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