You are seeing this message because your Web browser does not support basic Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing and what you can do to make your experience on this site better.


ABOUT JAMA
Advanced Search

Welcome   | My Account | E-mail Alerts | Access Rights | Sign In


  Vol. 258 No. 24, December 25, 1987 TABLE OF CONTENTS
  JAMA
  •  Online Features
  ARTICLE
 This Article
 •Send to a friend
 • Save in My Folder
 •Save to citation manager
 •Permissions
 Citing Articles
 •Citation map
 •Citing articles on HighWire
 •Contact me when this article is cited
 Related Content
 •Similar articles in JAMA

Change in physician perspective on cholesterol and heart disease. Results from two national surveys

B. Schucker, J. T. Wittes, J. A. Cutler, K. Bailey, D. R. Mackintosh, D. J. Gordon, C. M. Haines, M. E. Mattson, R. S. Goor and B. M. Rifkind
Lipid Metabolism-Atherogenesis Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute sponsored national telephone surveys of practicing physicians in 1983 (N = 1610) and 1986 (N = 1277) to assess attitudes and practices regarding elevated serum cholesterol levels. The 1983 survey was conducted just before the release of the results of the Lipid Research Clinics Coronary Primary Prevention Trial, which showed that a reduction in the blood cholesterol level reduced coronary heart disease. In 1986, 64% of physicians thought that reducing high blood cholesterol levels would have a large effect on heart disease, up considerably from 39% in 1983. Whereas in 1983, physicians attributed considerably less preventive value to reducing the cholesterol level than to reducing blood pressure or smoking, this disparity was substantially smaller in 1986. The median range of blood cholesterol at which diet therapy was initiated was 6.21 to 6.70 mmol/L (240 to 259 mg/dL) in 1986, down from 6.72 to 7.21 mmol/L (260 to 279 mg/dL) in 1983; the median for drug therapy was 7.76 to 8.25 mmol/L. (300 to 319 mg/dL) in 1986 and 8.79 to 9.28 mmol/L (340 to 359 mg/dL) in 1983. In 1986, 87% of physicians surveyed felt that medical evidence warranted the recommended treatment levels set forth in the 1984 National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference on Lowering Blood Cholesterol. These changes indicate that by 1986, physicians were more convinced of the benefit of lowering high blood cholesterol levels and were treating patients accordingly. The data also suggest areas for continued educational initiatives.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Thematic review series: The Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis. An interpretive history of the cholesterol controversy, part III: mechanistically defining the role of hyperlipidemia
Steinberg
J. Lipid Res. 2005;46:2037-2051.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The cardiologist's toolbox: improving care
Ben-Yehuda
J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;43:2174-2176.
FULL TEXT  

Self-reported nutrition proficiency is positively correlated with the perceived quality of nutrition training of family physicians in Washington State
Mihalynuk et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003;77:1330-1336.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Dietitian-general practitioner interface: a pilot study on what influences the provision of effective nutrition management
Nicholas et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003;77:1039S-1042.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Physician Participation in Research Surveys: A Randomized Study of Inducements to Return Mailed Research Questionnaires
Donaldson et al.
Eval Health Prof 1999;22:427-441.
ABSTRACT  

Managed Care for Preventive Services: A Review of Policy Options
Halpin Schauffler and Rodriguez
Med Care Res Rev 1993;50:153-198.
 

Using Physician Caller Follow-Ups to Improve the Response Rate to a Physician Telephone Survey: Its Impact and Its Implications
Bostick et al.
Eval Health Prof 1992;15:420-433.
ABSTRACT  

PHYSICIANS AND PATIENTS EMBRACE LIPID HYPOTHESIS
JWatch General 1988;1988:6-6.
FULL TEXT  





HOME | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | TOPIC COLLECTIONS | CME | SUBMIT | SUBSCRIBE | HELP
CONDITIONS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US | SITE MAP
 
© 1987 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.