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Significant gaps in awareness of familial hypercholesterolemia among physicians in selected Asia-Pacific countries: a
Jing Pang1, David R Sullivan2, Mariko Harada-Shiba3
1School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia.
Insights
Physician awareness of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is low in Asia, particularly regarding its prevalence and cardiovascular risks. Enhanced education and improved lipid services are crucial for effective FH management and cascade screening in the region.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Genetics
- Public Health
Background:
- Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a prevalent genetic disorder affecting at least 1:500 individuals, leading to significantly elevated cholesterol and early heart disease.
- The Asia-Pacific region has an estimated 3.6 million individuals with FH, highlighting a substantial public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of practicing physicians regarding Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
- To identify current understanding of FH's clinical aspects, inheritance, prevalence, cardiovascular risks, and screening practices among Asian physicians.
Main Methods:
- An anonymous, structured, internet-based survey was administered to physicians in three developed Asian countries.
- The survey assessed physician knowledge on FH characteristics, cardiovascular disease risk, and their opinions on care management and screening.
Main Results:
- Physician awareness of FH heritability (47%), prevalence (27%), and cardiovascular disease risk (13%) was notably low.
- While 70% of physicians felt moderately familiar with FH, awareness of specialized lipid disorder services was only 35%.
- Primary care physicians and lipid specialists were perceived as key for FH care and cascade screening.
Conclusions:
- Significant gaps in physician knowledge necessitate extensive education and training programs for effective Familial Hypercholesterolemia management in Asia.
- Enhancing existing lipid services and facilities is essential to optimize care models and improve outcomes for FH patients in the region.
Background:
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a dominantly inherited disorder characterized by high plasma cholesterol levels and a very high risk of early heart disease. The prevalence of FH is estimated to be at least 1:500, with at least 3.6 million individuals in the Asia-Pacific region.
Objective:
To assess awareness, knowledge, and perception of FH among practicing physicians in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Methods:
Physicians from 3 economically developed Asian countries were requested to anonymously complete a structured Internet-based survey regarding FH. This survey sought responses on the clinical description, inheritance, prevalence, cardiovascular disease risk, practices, and opinions on screening.
Results:
Of 230 physicians surveyed, 47% were aware of the heritability, 27% of the prevalence, and 13% of the risk of cardiovascular disease relating to FH. The majority (70%) perceived themselves to have an above-moderate familiarity with FH. Primary care physicians (59%) and lipid specialists (41%) were perceived as the best providers for caring for FH, including cascade screening services, with a lesser role perceived for cardiologists, endocrinologists, and no significant role for nursing staff. Only 35% of physicians were aware of specialist clinical services for lipid disorders in their geographic area.
Conclusion:
Extensive education and training programs are required to complement the implementation of region-specific models of care for FH in Asia. Further enhancement of existing lipid services and facilities are also warranted to optimise service models.
