116 Prevalence of persistent lipid abnormalities in high-risk patients treated with statins: results of the dyslipidemia international study in the UK

Abstract

Background The majority of patients with dyslipidemia in the UK are currently treated with a statin. However, many patients do not achieve recommended lipid targets. DYSIS UK was a part of a large multinational Dyslipidemia International Study (DYSIS) conducted in Canada and Europe. The aim was to assess the lipid profile abnormalities in patients on statin medication and the following results are for the UK. Methods DYSIS UK was conducted as a cross sectional study. Patients, men and women, 45 years or older, with a clinical diagnosis of coronary or other atherosclerotic disease, or at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, were included if they had used statins for at least 3 months. All patients had a clinical examination and their latest lipid values on statin (≥3-month duration) were recorded. Results A total of 1277 patients (mean age 63.5 (SD 9.1) years old; 34.1% female) were enrolled to the study. Coronary heart disease was found in 44.3% of patients, cerebrovascular disease in 5.4% and peripheral arterial disease in 3.4%. Of these patients, 16.9% were current smokers, 39.4% were obese (BMI>30 kg/m 2 ), 60.1% had hypertension, and 27.1% diabetes. The prevalence of lipid abnormalities in statin-treated patients with total lipid profile was: elevated total cholesterol (TC) (≥4.0 mmol/l) 58.2%, low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) ( Conclusion The results show that the majority of patients on statin medication (64.4%) do not achieve the recommended lipid targets and/or have abnormal levels of HDL-C and triglycerides. Despite the statin medication, the persistent lipid abnormalities increase the cardiovascular risk in these patients. There is a need for a more comprehensive and intensive lipid management in this high-risk population.