Clinical treatment of dyslipidemia: practice patterns and missed opportunities.

Studies have found that most dyslipidemic coronary artery disease and postsurgical cardiac patients are not monitored for serum lipids, especially high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). These patients are not prescribed lipid-altering therapy and are not treated to National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) target levels. When prescribed, the most commonly administered drugs are statins, followed by fibrates and niacin. Resins are the least commonly prescribed treatment for dyslipidemia. Unfortunately, drugs chosen are often not the best for each patient. To compound matters, compliance with lipid-modification therapy is poor. Nurse case-management programs, supportive regular contact with healthcare professionals, and immediate postinterventional initiation of therapy significantly improves compliance.