If all ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack patients are to be placed on statin therapy within this program regardless of LDL levels, then why bother to check a baseline lipid level?
A. Drawing an admission lipid panel has certain advantages. Patients with complex lipid disorders can be identified early so appropriate follow-up can be arranged. Also, the baseline lipid level can also help to guide the dose of statin needed to reduce the LDL to < 100 mg/dl. Finally, many patients often like to know what their baseline lipid levels are before being started on treatment. A recent program, "Project ImPACT (Improve Persistence and Compliance with Therapy): Hyperlipidemia," directed by the American Pharmaceutical Association Foundation showed that regular monitoring of lipid levels contributed to increased rates of compliance to 90.1%, up from the average 40% reported in the literature for similar studies.
Related Questions
- If all ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack patients are to be placed on statin therapy within this program regardless of LDL levels, then why bother to check a baseline lipid level?
- CAN DWI IDENTIFY PATIENTS WITH STROKE SYMPTOMS WHO ARE IN FACT HAVING TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACKS (TIA)?
- Is admission medically justified for all patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack?
