A Registration Study for Dyslipidemia

Overview

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Dyslipidemia has long been recognized to be the most important risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis in human beings. In Taiwan, the rates for hypercholesterolemia (≧250mg/dl) were 4.3% and 5.5% in 1970; 12.99% in 1980; and 17.1% in 1990. Those for hypertriglyceridemia (≧200 mg/dl) were 6.5% and 11.1% in 1970 and 13.0% in 1990. Low serum HDL-C was an isolated and independent coronary risk factor among a good number of Taiwanese people. Lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with statins has in the last decade become part of the standard treatment regimen in patients with dyslipidemia. However, most embarrassing, is the insufficient data for clinical use in Taiwan. It is necessary to have rationalized and balanced guideline for the management of dyslipidemia in Taiwan, based on our local epidemiological, clinical and basic research data. Because all these trials were conducted in Caucasians and no large-scaled end-point research about the lipid lowering therapy (LLT) was published in Asians before, this registry study attempts to define the status of lipid lowering therapy in Taiwan and the effect of LLT on CVD morbidity and mortality in a large population of patients receiving primary or secondary prevention therapy. The medications will only depend on the decision made by the primary care physicians. The patient or physician can decide to be withdrawn from this registry at any time because of any reason. The lipid profile change, myopathy, or liver enzyme change after the LLT will also be recorded.

This is a registry study to define the status of lipid lowering therapy in Taiwan and the effect of LLT on CVD morbidity and mortality in a large population of patients receiving primary or secondary prevention therapy. The medications will only depend on the decision made by the primary care physicians. The patient or physician can decide to be withdrawn from this registry at any time because of any reason. All potential patients will be screened for the eligibility in a screening visit. Those who fill the inclusion criteria at screening will be invited for the registry study into different groups. The follow-up will take place yearly thereafter for 5 years, through clinical visiting, phone follow-up, or records from the NHIB Taiwan. At each clinical visit, vital signs, clinical endpoints, adverse events, concurrent medication information and laboratory specimens will be obtained as complete as possible. With phone or records from NHIB, only clinical endpoints will be recorded. If the primary care physician intends to treat the patient's lipid profile to the target, he/she can add, delete or adjust the LLT by his/her clinical judgement.