Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a cardiovascular risk equivalent and associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality comparing with general population. Small low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) particle size, which is highly atherogenic, is significantly associated with progression of coronary artery disease. American Diabetes Association (ADA) and National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III recommend aggressive dys- lipidemia management in diabetic patients with a primary of LDL-C level < 100 mg/dL (<2.6 mmol/L).
Objective: To determine the achievement rate of LDL-C goal in type 2 diabetic patients in Saudi visiting the Diabetic Center at primary care department in Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to the ADA and NCEP (ATP III) guidelines and to assess the physicians’ treatment prescribing pattern to achieve that goal.
Materials and Methods: After the Hospital Research Committee approval, the descriptive chart review study was conducted over 1,270 diabetic patients registered in Diabetic Center from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. The data were extracted by Information Technology department using computerized system and analyzed by SAS/STAT software with appropriate analytical tests. Result: The LDL-C goal achievement rate was 47.95%. About 95.5% of diabetic patients were using statin therapy, but 51.77% among them were out of goal and reached the maximum statin dose of 60 mg by only 2.74%. Despite being out of target, 75.99% had no change in dose, 5.83% had decreased the dose although they were still out of goal, and 18.18% only had increased the dose. Conclusion: About half the number of patients (47.953%) achieved the LDL-C goal, and, as a result of physicians’ treatment prescribing pattern, there is inappropriate statin titrating and dosing to achieve the goal.