Consultation and management of patients with lipid disorders: importance of life-style changes and intensive follow-up.
The purpose was to compare long-term involvement (LTI) vs short-term involvement (STI) of patients in a Lipid Education Service (LES) and to assess the effects of life-style changes. Patients were referred for LTI and STI by their physicians. Three-hundred eighty-one consecutive patients, 287 LTI and 94 STI, were analyzed. The lipids in LTI patients were all significantly improved. Sixty-six percent of all LDL values were at goal as were 77% of HDL and 62% of triglyceride (NCEP-II criteria). Sixty-two percent of LDL values in coronary artery disease patients were at goal contrasted to a reported range of 9.6%-71%. Life-style changes made significant differences in the percentage of patients at lipid goals. In postprogram follow-up there were significant differences between LTI and STI patients. The LTI patients did much better in improving lipid levels at postprogram follow-up than did STI patients. These results demonstrate the importance of making life-style changes as well as the importance of intensive efforts in achieving meaningful and lasting change.