Treating Hyperlipidemia for the Primary Prevention of Coronary Disease
Open Access
- 23 February 1998
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in Archives of internal medicine (1960)
- Vol. 158 (4) , 375-381
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.158.4.375
Abstract
THE IMPORTANCE of the total serum cholesterol level as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and the potential to reduce risk by lowering the cholesterol level is well documented.1-13 However, screening for hyperlipidemia is a substantial cost burden to society, as is the cost of treatment.14,15 For instance, the cost of treatment with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors ranges from $420 to $2640 per year.16,17 These drugs are prescribed at a variety of dosage levels ranging from 10 to 80 mg/d. Higher dosages have been shown to enhance the effectiveness of the drugs in modifying blood lipid levels. However, whether the changes associated with increasing dosages are proportional to the relative increase in cost is uncertain.This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: