Results of the rosuvastatin studies in Turkey

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Turkey and one of the most predictive risk factors of coronary disease in Turkish population is the ratio of total/HDL cholesterol. Therefore, adequate treatment of dyslipidemia, particularly with statins is very important with regard to prevention of coronary heart disease. There are numerous completed or ongoing studies performed worldwide with rosuvastatin, the newest statin preparation. In this review, the results of the Turkey arm of the CEPHEUS study (Centralized Pan-European survey on the undertreatment of hypercholesterolemia) were evaluated. The primary aim of this cross-sectional screening study that included 575 patients with dyslipidemia from nine centers in Turkey was to assess the success rate of achieving the target LDL-cholesterol levels in patients under lipid-lowering therapy. The success rate of achieving target LDL-cholesterol levels was low in Turkish population, being 35.1% and 47.8% according to the NCEP-ATP III (2004) and the European guidelines, respectively. It was even lower in the highest risk groups such as diabetics and coronary disease patients. The up-titration of statin dosage was inadequate. In conclusion, lipid-lowering therapy is implemented suboptimally in Turkey. There is much to do for both patients and physicians.