Effect of Pharmaceutical Care on Optimum Colestipol Treatment in Elderly Hypercholesterolemic Veterans

We conducted a prospective trial to determine whether a formal, integrated pharmaceutical care plan can enhance patient acceptance and compliance with colestipol therapy and improve outcomes. Forty patients with hypercholesterolemia were equally divided and assigned to either a usual care or pharmaceutical care group. In the pharmaceutical care group compared with the usual care group, after 52 weeks, colestipol therapy resulted in a greater reduction in total cholesterol (12.5% vs 7.3%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; 16% vs 9.4%), and LDL-C:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (24.4% vs 12.2%, p < 0.05). The percentage of patients who achieved their LDL-C goal at week 52 was much greater in the pharmaceutical care group (29.4%) than in the usual care group (5.0%, p < 0.05). Co-management by a physician and a pharmacist of hypercholesterolemic veterans treated with colestipol can enhance patient acceptance of the drug, LDL-C reduction, and achievement of therapeutic goals.