An Assessment of Patient Knowledge and Awareness of Issues Surrounding Cholesterol Risk Management

Background: A lack of patient understanding and awareness of issues surrounding cholesterol risk management may be one reason that a significant number of patients receiving cholesterol-lowering therapy do not achieve optimal cholesterol levels. This study was conducted to assess patients' knowledge and awareness of issues surrounding cholesterol risk management. Methods: Community pharmacists within the Edmonton, Alberta, area were identified and asked to recruit patients within their practice who had been receiving cholesterol-lowering therapy for a minimum of six weeks. A 32-question telephone survey was developed and used as the instrument to assess patient knowledge and awareness. All surveys were conducted by the same individual, and data analysis was primarily descriptive. Results: Seventeen community pharmacies recruited 136 potential subjects over an eight-week period. Surveys were conducted with 105 (77%) of the eligible subjects. Of those surveyed, 37% identified elevated cholesterol as a risk factor for heart disease. While the majority of respondents felt it important to know their cholesterol targets (82%) and their specific levels (91%), only 23% and 29% of respondents indicated that they knew their high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, respectively. Gaps in knowledge with respect to cholesterol-lowering therapy also existed. Conclusions: The results of this survey indicate gaps in patient knowledge of various issues surrounding cholesterol risk management. Pharmacists are in an excellent position to provide better education to patients about cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease risk management. Further research is required to determine whether improved patient knowledge leads to improved clinical outcomes .