[How well are patients with atherosclerosis treated in general practice? Risk factors and intervention surveyed in 1996-97 as compared to two previous years].

In 1996 and 97, a total of 1,353 patients with coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial disease were screened in 63 general practices for their specific risk factors and treatment. 63% of the patients were males and 25% were smokers. 55% of the patients had been prescribed a lipid lowering agent, in most cases by their general practitioner, as opposed to 18% in a similar screening in 1994 and 95. This corresponds with a general increase in the number of prescriptions for this kind of drug. The majority of patients treated were 75 years of age and under. The recommended level of LDL-cholesterol in secondary prevention is 2.6 mmol/l or less. 83% of the patients had values above this level. Neither the treatment with antithrombotic agents and beta-blockers, nor the reduction in the systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients was found to be satisfactory. The same lipid profile and frequency with which drugs were prescribed was seen in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. We found that lipid lowering agents were prescribed more frequently and aspirin less frequently than in comparable European surveys. It is essential to develop effective intervention strategies and for general practitioners and specialists to collaborate closely to implement these strategies for patients with atherosclerotic disease.