Pattern of statin use in several Hospitals in Jakarta. A cross sectional study

Abstract

A preliminary, cross-sectional study on the pattern of statins use in three hospitals in Jakarta was conducted to see the responder rate of the patients who took statins. Data were taken from the Medical Records from May-July 2004 of each hospital. The inclusion criteria were outpatients diagnosed with dyslipidemia treated with statins either as first choice or add-on therapy to the other lipid-lowering drugs given. Two hundred and forty three cases were recorded during the 3-month period of examination, 127 male and 116 female. The average age of both group of patients were 56 ± 12 years (male) and 55 ± 12 years (female). The most commonly used statins as first choice and as add-on was atorvastatin (38.1%, and 1.6%, respectively), followed by rosuvastatin (20.5%), fluvastatin (11.5%), pravastatin (10.7%); whereas lovastatin (0.4%) and simvastatin (3.7%) were least prescribed. Patients’ total cholesterol levels were reduced significantly (241 ± 57 vs 207 ± 38 mg/dL, p less than 0.0001), whereas triglyceride levels were not significantly reduced (174 ± 86 vs 160 ± 71 mg/dL). Around 46% cases (72 out of 243 cases) met the NCEP ATP III goals on total cholesterol level. The most common combinations used, with respect to atorvastatin, were fenofibrate (11.3%), pravastatin (9.3%), rosuvastatin (3%), gemfibrozil (2%), whereas, with regard to rosuvastati, were gemfibrozil (9%), ciprofibrate (5%), and atorvastatin (3%). Large numbers of patients were not regularly checked up or low in compliance. In conclusion, statins usage in some hospitals in Jakarta had been inappropriately used, due to multiple factors, such as, prescribers, patients’ aspects, and the national health system. Therefore, in order to observe the efficacy of statins in clinical setting, a large scale study on the pattern of statin use should be conducted.