How do the Australian guidelines for lipid-lowering drugs perform in practice? Cardiovascular disease risk in the AusDiab Study, 1999–2000

Neaverson, Michael A

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02363.x

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To the Editor: In their recent article, Chen and colleagues argued for an increase in the number of Australians being treated with lipid-lowering drugs.1 It would appear pertinent to question the economic and therapeutic value of such an increase.

Nu-Life Cardiac Programmes, Noosaville, QLD.

Correspondence: neaverson@neocardia.com

1. Chen L, Rogers SL, Colagiuri S, et al. How do the Australian guidelines for lipid-lowering drugs perform in practice? Cardiovascular disease risk in the AusDiab Study, 1999–2000. Med J Aust 2008; 189: 319-322. <eMJA full text> <MJA full text>
2. Senes S, Penm E. Medicines for cardiovascular health: are they used appropriately? Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2007. (AIHW Cat. No. CVD 36.)
3. Lloyd-Jones DM, O’Donnell CJ, D’Agostino RB, et al. Applicability of cholesterol-lowering primary prevention trials to a general population: the Framingham Heart Study. Arch Intern Med 2001; 161: 949-954.
4. House of Representatives. Standing Committee on Health and Ageing. The Blame Game: report on the inquiry into health funding. Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, November 2006: section 3.124.
5. Neaverson MA, Abell B, Bermingham M. Effect of exercise on emerging risk factors for cardiovascular disease [abstract]. Heart Lung Circ 2006; 15 Suppl 1: S166.
6. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Indicators for chronic diseases and their determinants 2008. Canberra: AIHW, 2008. (AIHW Cat. No. PHE 75.)

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