Estimating cholesterol treatment rates among individuals with multiple risk factors and without coronary heart disease

This retrospective study examined lipid-lowering therapy treatment rates from 2000 to 2001 using the Ingenix LabRx Database. Patients with multiple risk factors without coronary heart disease were identified based on the presence of ≥2 of the following: men ≥45 years, women ≥55 years, hypertension, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dl, total cholesterol ≥200 mg/dl, or obesity. Lipid treatment rates were estimated among those needing therapy (defined as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥130 mg/dl or currently receiving lipid-lowering therapy). The overall lipid-lowering therapy treatment rate was 38% and the estimated lipid treatment gap (percent needing treatment who were not receiving it) was 62%.