Even with increased knowledge and education about the benefits of lowering LDL (the "bad") cholesterol in reducing cardiovascular risk, most adults who are eligible for cholesterol-lowering therapy are not receiving it. And among those who are prescribed lipid-lowering medication, only 40% to 60% remain on their medication after a year. Even worse, among those who are taking their medication, few are reaching their goals: studies in primary care settings have estimated that figure to be only 8% to 38%.

To try to improve this situation, a large-scale community pharmacy-based demonstration project was undertaken. A total of 26 pharmacy practice sites (mostly independent pharmacies) in 12 states participated. Nearly 400 patients were identified, their lipid profiles tracked, and lifestyle changes and drug therapy initiated through a collaboration between physicians, pharmacists, and patients. Patients were seen monthly for the first 3 months and quarterly thereafter. Pharmacists documented, interpreted, and reported their interventions to the doctors and patients.

The project showed that collaborative care provided by a community pharmacist can have a dramatic impact on treatment success. They produced a 2- to 4-fold improvement in getting patients to their treatment goals - a higher success rate than any reported in the literature. In the 2 years of the study, 93.6% stayed on their medication, and more than 60% of the patients were at or below their goal at the end of the project.

Related information Treatment - Medications