Clinical outcomes associated with pharmacist involvement in patients with dyslipidemia

The burden of cardiovascular disease in America continues to be the leading cause of death and costs significantly more to treat ($US298.2 billion in 2002) than any other disease in the US healthcare system. Incontrovertible evidence links elevated levels of total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol with an increased risk for coronary heart disease. The subsequent treatment of hyperlipidemia has been shown to dramatically decrease morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular disease. Research continues to show that many candidates for lipid-lowering therapy are not offered therapy and many never attain recommended National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guideline goals. Increased pharmacist involvement in the treatment of patients with hyperlipidemia may represent one way to help bridge the treatment gap that exists in these high-risk patients. Limited evidence has shown that lipid values, NCEP goal attainment, and medication compliance improve when a pharmacist contributes to patient care in dyslipidemia. However, larger randomized controlled studies need to be performed to confirm the results of previous smaller retrospective trials.