Lack of Awareness of Own Hypercholesterolemia or Statin Medication among Adult Statin Users in the United States: Prevalence and Patient Characteristics in a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study

Kenjiro Imai, Takehiro Sugiyama, Mitsuru Ohsugi, Masafumi Kakei and Kazuo Hara
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Kenjiro Imai: Diabetes and Metabolism Information Center, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Takehiro Sugiyama: Diabetes and Metabolism Information Center, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Mitsuru Ohsugi: Diabetes and Metabolism Information Center, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan
Masafumi Kakei: Minamiuonuma City Hospital, Niigata 949-6680, Japan
Kazuo Hara: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Comprehensive Medicine 1, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Saitama 330-0834, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: Knowledge of a patient’s medication is important in treating hyperlipidemia; however, little is known about this in practice. We carried out a repeated cross-sectional study to analyze a nationally representative sample of US adult statin users from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2018. We used medication bottle checks and self-reported survey data to estimate the percentage of individuals who are unaware of their hypercholesterolemia, type of medication, or how to take their medication. We used logistic regression to examine their characteristics. We included 8798 statin users; however, 17.6% were unaware of their hypercholesterolemia or statin use. Being older, male, non-Hispanic Black, taking a wider range of prescription medications, and previous diabetes or cardiovascular disease diagnosis were associated with lack of awareness. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was lower among those lacking awareness (85.5 vs. 100.7 mg/dL; p < 0.001). Many of those unaware of drug type had been given little information about statins; 34.0% had no diagnosis of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and of these, 27.1% were >75 years old. Roughly one in six lacked awareness, but no association was found with hypercholesterolemia control. Healthcare providers should ascertain a patient’s understanding and consider the risks and benefits of statin medication.

Keywords: hypercholesterolemia; statin; prescription medication; lack of awareness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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