Awareness of cholesterol as coronary risk factor among general practitioners at Jaipur

Widespread information about preventive measures has decreased incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in developing countries. However this trend is not seen in India. Cholesterol and other lipoproteins play important role in CAD. In order to assess whether this information has reached General Practitioners (GP's) and their action regarding the recommendations of the US National Cholesterol Education Programme (NCEP), G.P.'s were assessed with the help of a questionnaire. The response rate to the questionnaire was 78.4% of the total G.P.'s of the city. The findings of the study were compared to the NCEP guidelines. Results indicate that, "Ideal", "High" and cholesterol levels dietary needing precautionary measures intervention (ie. 198.2 +/- 13 mg/dl, 256.1 +/- 32 mg/dl and 247.9 +/- 26 mg/dl respectively) were similar to the NCEP guidelines. Levels where therapy is recommended (ie 293.9 +/- 34 mg/dl) is significantly more than NCEP guidelines. Though 77.1% of doctors were aware of protective effect of HDL cholesterol (ie 51.1 +/- 6 mg/dl), routine measurement of lipid profile was undertaken by only 57.1% doctors with mean age of recommendation being 34.1 +/- 11.6. Routine dietary advice and cholesterol estimation was done in 71.4% patients with CAD and 67.3% of patients with hypertension and diabetes. Analysis of action taken falls short of the NCEP recommendations and indicates a need for intensive training of the G.P.s.