Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Hypercholesterolemia has an established causal role in the progression of atherosclerosis and development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In studies carried out after 2002, the estimated prevalence of self-reported dyslipidemia in the Greek population ranges from 11% to 23%, whereas approximately 35% of mortality in Greece is attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Relevant real-life data, however, are scarce.

Methods: In the present study we used theelectronic prescription database of the National Organization for Health Care Services Provision (IDIKA), embracing almost 100% of all prescriptions issued in Greece, to capture individuals who received hypolipidemic treatment during the year 2021.

Results: The study population consisted of 10,482,487individuals, accounting for the totalGreek population in 2021. The overall prevalence of medication-prescribed dyslipidemia accounted for the 19% of the total Greek population (n=1,998,393), beingslightly higher in women than in men (19.7% vs 18%, respectively) across all age groups and was gradually increased with advancing age (7% in those < 50 years, to 44.5% in those aged 70 and above). Notably, 1052 individuals with medication-prescribed dyslipidemia were underage (accounting for 0.05% of the total underage population in Greece). Most common concomitant diseases were arterial hypertension (45.7%) diabetes type mellitus 2 (28.4 %), and coronary artery disease (14.4%). General practitioners(33,72%), Internists(33,69%), and Cardiologists(21,64%) prescribed the vast majority of hypolipidemic treatment. The annual cost of treatment per-patient was on average 144€ (total cost € 203,375,511)with rosuvastatin and atorvastatin being more frequently prescribed accounting for more than 80% of all prescriptions.

Conclusion: Approximately 18% of the total Greek population has been prescribed with a hypolipidemic agent during 2021. Prevention and control of dyslipidemia, as one of the most important modifiable risk factors for CVDremains a yet unmet challenge.

Keywords: dyslipidemia; hypolipidemic treatment; statins; cardiovascular disease; prevalence of dyslipidemia; Greek population