Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR&D Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

Is lipid-lowering therapy underused by African Americans at high risk of coronary heart disease within the VA health care system?

Woodard LD, Kressin NR, Petersen LA. Is lipid-lowering therapy underused by African Americans at high risk of coronary heart disease within the VA health care system? American journal of public health. 2004 Dec 1; 94(12):2112-7.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.
   Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions



Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether racial differences exist in cholesterol monitoring, use of lipid-lowering agents, and achievement of guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. METHODS: We reviewed charts for 1045 African American and White patients with coronary heart disease at 5 Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. RESULTS: Lipid levels were obtained in 67.0% of patients. Whites and African Americans had similar screening rates and mean lipid levels. Among the 544 ideal candidates for therapy, rates of treatment and achievement of target LDL levels were similar. CONCLUSIONS: We found no disparities in cholesterol management. This absence of disparities may be the result of VA quality improvement initiatives or prescription coverage through the VA health care system.





Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.