The reduction of LDL-c reduces mortality and morbidity in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Placebo-controlled trials demonstrate a 30 to 40% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular endpoints with lipid-lowering therapy in a broad range of patients with established CAD (Collins, 2003 and Shepherd, 2002). The National Cholesterol Education Panel and the ACC/AHA recommend lipid screening and lipid lowering, particularly LDL-c reduction, in patients with CAD and hyperlipidemia (NCEP ATP III, 2001; Braunwald, 2002; Antman, 2004 and Smith, 2001). The ACC/AHA ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction guidelines also recommend that lipid measurements should be performed or obtained from prior medical records for all patients (Antman, 2004). Despite the increasing evidence to support lipid testing to direct therapy, many eligible older patients hospitalized with AMI do not have measurements of their lipid levels performed (Foody, 2005).

Edit

• National Hospital Quality Measure Specifications Manual
• American Heart Association
• American College of Cardiology

Edit

• Antman EM, Anbe DT, Armstrong PW, Bates ER, Green LA, Hand M, Hochman JS, Krumholz HM, Kushner FG, Lamas GA, Mullany CJ, Ornato JP, Pearle DL, Sloan MA, Smith SC Jr. ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1999 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction). 2004.
• Braunwald E, Antman EM, Beasley JW, Califf RM, Cheitlin MD, Hochman JS, Jones RH, Kereiakes D, Kupersmith J, Levin TN, Pepline CJ, Schaeffer JW, Smith EE III, Steward DE, Theroux P. ACC/AHA 2002 guideline update for the management of patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee on the Management of Patients with Unstable Angina). 2002.
• Collins R, Armitage J, Parish S, Sleigh P, Peto R. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of cholesterol-lowering with simvastatin in 5963 people with diabetes: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2003;361:2005-2016.
• Executive Summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA 2001;285:2486-2497.
• Foody JM, Roe MT, Chen AY, Smith SC Jr, Brindis RG, Peterson ED, Gibler WB, Ohman EM; CRUSADE Investigators. Lipid management in patients with unstable angina pectoris and non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (from CRUSADE). Am J Cardiol. 2005 Feb 15;95(4):483-5.
• Grundy SM, Cleeman JI, Merz CNB et al. Implications of Recent Clinical Trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines. Circulation. 2004;110:227-239.
• Krumholz HM, Anderson JL, Brooks NH, Fesmir FM, Lambrew CT, Landrum MB, Weaver WD, Whyte J. ACC/AHA Clinical Performance Measures for Adults With ST-Elevation and Non–ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: a report of the ACC/AHA Task Force on Performance Measures (ST-Elevation and Non–ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Performance Measures Writing Committee). J Am Coll Cardiol 2006;47:236–65. Available at http://www.acc.org and http://www.americanheart.org.
• Smith SC, Blair SN, Bonow RO, Brass LM, Cerqueira MD, Dracup K, Fuster V, Gotto A, Grundy SM, Houston Miller N, Jacobs A, Jones D, Krauss RM, Mosca L, Ockene I, Pasternak RC, Pearson T, Pfeffer MA, Starke RD, Taubert KA. AHA/ACC guidelines for preventing heart attack and death in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: 2001 update. Circulation 2001;104:1577-1579.
• Shepherd J, Blauw GJ, Murphy MB et al. Pravastatin in elderly individuals at risk of vascular disease (PROSPER): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2002;360:1623-1630.

Edit