Researchers identified the proportion of South Asian patients at 62 general practices in one health authority in England. They then determined the number of daily doses of all cholesterol lowering drugs prescribed to these patients.

They found that patients in practices with a greater South Asian population were less likely to receive cholesterol lowering drugs.

It was not possible for the authors to ascertain the incidence of coronary heart disease in the practices studied. However, this finding is surprising, they say, given the higher level of cardiovascular illness and death among South Asian people in the UK, and an equal if not greater need for cholesterol lowering treatment than the white population.

Further analysis is needed to ascertain the effects of subsequent prescribing guidelines and recent government strategies promoting the use of cholesterol lowering drugs, say the authors. Assessment to determine the extent of unmet need and risk profiles at the level of the individual patient, with particular reference to South Asian patients, is also required.

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Contact: Emma Wilkinson
ewilkinson@bmj.com
44-20-7383-6529
BMJ-British Medical Journal
4-Jul-2002