Physician-prompting statin therapy intervention improves outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease

Study Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a posthospital discharge intervention that prompted physicians to increase the use and effectiveness of statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods. Participants were 612 patients with CHD who were admitted to a coronary care unit. The control group (303 patients admitted from October 1-December 31, 1998) received no follow-up intervention. The intervention group (309 patients admitted from January I-March 31, 1999) had follow-up letters sent or phone calls made to their primary care physicians with patient-specific recommendations concerning assessment of lipid profiles and statin therapy. Over a 2-year follow-up period, assessment of lipid profiles, use of therapy, and adverse clinical outcomes were compared between the control and intervention groups. Results. At hospital discharge, there was no significant difference in the use of statins between the groups. At each reported follow-up interval, the percentages of patients having lipid profiles measured, being treated with a statin, receiving titrated dosages of a statin, and achieving low-density lipid (LDL) cholesterol goals set by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) were significantly greater in the intervention group compared with the control group (all p <0.05). At the end of the 2-year follow-up period, nearly three-fourths (72%) of the intervention group were receiving a statin, compared with 43% of the control group. In addition, 55% of the intervention group achieved their NCEP LDL goal, compared with only 10% of the control group. Recurrent myocardial infarction, hospitalization for myocardial ischemia, coronary revascularization, and cardiovascular mortality were significantly reduced in the intervention group compared with the control group (all p <0.05). Conclusion. A relatively simple physician-prompting intervention significantly increased assessment of lipid status, frequency of statin use, achievement of LDL treatment goals, and titration of lipid drug dosages. In addition, the improved use of statins significantly reduced adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This intervention tool should be more broadly applied in patient populations eligible to receive these agents.