THE UNDERTREATMENT PROBLEM - IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO TREATMENT

Despite the accumulated evidence from clinical trials on the value of lipid-lowering therapy in managing patients with established coronary heart disease and risk factors and the availability of national guidel ines for cholesterol-lowering in these patients, this knowledge has no t yet been translated to clinical practice on a widespread basis. Nume rous barriers exist that impede appropriate risk-factor management. Th ese include patient barriers, physician barriers, barriers related to the healthcare setting, and barriers in the community/society. Efforts to provide appropriate risk-factor management will need to overcome t hese barriers. Disease management systems that include preventive serv ices are also needed.