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ABSTRACT: Background
The risk of premature cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can be profoundly reduced by cholesterol-lowering therapy, and current guidelines for FH advocate ambitious low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals. In the present study, we determined whether these goals are reflected in current clinical practice once FH has been diagnosed.Methodology/principal findings
In 2008, we sent questionnaires to all subjects (aged 18-65 years) who were molecularly diagnosed with FH in the year 2006 through the screening program in The Netherlands. Of these 1062 subjects, 781 completed the questionnaire (46% males; mean age: 42+/-12 years; mean LDL-C at molecular diagnosis (baseline): 4.1+/-1.3 mmol/L). The number of persons that used cholesterol-lowering therapy increased from 397 (51%) at baseline to 636 (81%) after diagnosis. Mean treated LDL-C levels decreased significantly to 3.2+/-1.1 mmol/L two years after diagnosis. Only 22% achieved the LDL-C target level of < or = 2.5 mmol/L.Conclusions/significance
The proportion of patients using cholesterol-lowering medication was significantly increased after FH diagnosis through genetic cascade screening. The attained LDL-C levels were lower than those reported in previous surveys on medication use in FH, which could reflect the effect of more stringent lipid target levels. However, only a minority of the medication users reached the LDL-C target.
SUBMITTER: Huijgen R
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2821409 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Huijgen Roeland R Kindt Iris I Verhoeven Sjoerd B J SB Sijbrands Eric J G EJ Vissers Maud N MN Kastelein John J P JJ Hutten Barbara A BA
PloS one 20100215 2
<h4>Background</h4>The risk of premature cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) can be profoundly reduced by cholesterol-lowering therapy, and current guidelines for FH advocate ambitious low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals. In the present study, we determined whether these goals are reflected in current clinical practice once FH has been diagnosed.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>In 2008, we sent questionnaires to all subjects (aged 18-65 ...[more]