Treatment Eligibility and Therapeutic Responses of an Ecuadorian Population at High Cardiovascular Risk Based on the ATP III Guidelines

Abstract

The development of noncommunicable chronic diseases is associated with smoking, sedentary lifestyle and nutritional factors, and their detrimental effects can be reduced by a healthy lifestyle. 1,2 In Ecuador, health care of patients with diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and hypertension accounts for the majority of physicianpatient appointments and hospital discharge in the last twenty years. 3 Recently,

Are we Improving Adherence to Cardiovascular Guidelines?

“…The use of ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors was also suggested for those with severe primary hypercholesterolemia. 9 In the current edition of the International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences, Hernandez et al, 10 have analyzed lipid-lowering regimens in Ecuadorian patients to assess whether the therapy targets of the NCEP-ATP III guidelines were achieved. Those authors carried out a retrospective analysis with 385 patients (46% men; mean age, 59.8 ± 13.2 years).…”

“…Those authors have reported that the proportion of patients achieving LDL-c goals ranged from 51% to 56% for the 70-mg/dl target and from 77% to 85% for the 100-mg/dl target, remaining unchanged in the comparison cohorts. 10 The authors have attributed those results to the prescription of low doses of drugs and to therapies aimed at isolated lipid fractions. Other factors, however, must be considered, such as the knowledge of healthcare professionals about the guidelines and adherence to the treatment proposed, which includes both drug therapy and changes in lifestyle.…”