My Healthy Heart Blogs
Discussing Coronary Risk Improves Treatment Outcome
11/27/07
Information for Caregivers
When doctors discuss their patients’ risk of heart disease, treatments for high cholesterol are more effective, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
High cholesterol is a significant risk factor of heart disease. However, many patients do not reach their target lipid levels or cholesterol reduction goals. According to the authors, this is a result of “inadequate treatment” from physicians and patients not adhering to therapy. The researchers hoped to prove that increasing the dialogue between the physician and patient would increase the efficiency of high cholesterol treatment.
They found that physicians who shared calculated coronary risk with their patients reported that those patients had a “small but measureable” improvement in reducing their cholesterol levels. The discussion included informing patients of their individual coronary risk and change in risk factors after lifestyle adjustments or medication. Normal treatment does not include those discussions.
More than 2,500 patients participated in the study. The patients who received the risk profile treatment experienced a greater reduction in the ration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol levels and total cholesterol levels to high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol. Patients in this group were also more likely to reach their target lipid levels.
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