Get With the Guidelines for Cardiovascular Secondary Prevention

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Abstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States despite the understanding of underlying risk factors, extensive well-tolerated drug therapy options, and the availability of published practice guidelines for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Evidence suggests that many patients with CAD receive inadequate treatment in light of clinical evidence and widely publicized treatment guidelines.1,2 Failure to achieve clinical treatment goals has been attributed to poor physician adherence to treatment guidelines, patient noncompliance, and the presence of concomitant medical conditions modifying management.3 Underlying this has been the absence of a system to ensure adherence as a part of the care process.4 The management of hyperlipidemia in patients with CAD is one example of the gap that exists between knowledge of guidelines and implementation in clinical practice.5