OBJECTIVE: To assess the percentage of patients suitable to the objectives preconized by III Diretrizes sobre Dislipidemias da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (3rd Guidelines on Dyslipidemia of Brazilian Society of Cardiology), in a low income population. To determine whether there was a difference of that percentage in high risk patients, according to their age (<75 years old vs. >75 years old). METHODS: We analyzed, consecutively, 190 patients, divided in two groups: 51 low and middle risk patients (G I) and 139 high risk patients for coronaray artery disease (G II). The sample was characterized by low income patients (69% for the patients had a family income between 1 and 2 minimum salaries), whose hypolipidemic therapy was irregularly supplied by the State. RESULTS: G I and G II showed, respectively, 70.1±13.7 years old and 13.7% of men and 68.5±10.6 years old and 62.6% of men. Among patients from G II, 30% showed LDL-cholesterol within the preconized objectives. The frequency of patients suitable to the objectives was significantly lower in individuals with 75 years of age or older than among those younger than 75 years old (16% vs. 30%, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: In a predominantly low income population and without continuous assistance from the State to purchase statins, the achievement of preconized objectives for LDL-cholesterol, by 3rd Guidelines on Dyslipidemia of Brasilian Society of Cardiology, is low and also significantly lower among very old patients, with a high risk profile for atherosclerosis.
coronary artery disease; dyslipidemia; LDL-cholesterol; hypolipidemic therapy
