A study of dyslipidaemia drug prescribing pattern and cost of treatment in outpatient setting between Malaysian public hospitals and a teaching hospital

Background In Malaysia, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death. Dyslipidaemia or high cholesterol level has been identified as one of the main risk factor that causes cardiovascular disease. In line with this, a clinical practice guideline on management of dyslipidaemia has been developed in 2004 and reviewed in 2011 for the management of dyslipidaemia cases in Malaysia. Drugs included in the management of dyslipidaemia are HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), fibric-acid derivatives (fibrates), bile-acid sequestrants (resins), nicotinic acid (niacin) and its derivatives. The objective of the study was to evaluate the drug prescribing pattern in outpatient setting between Malaysian public hospitals and teaching hospital. The specific objectives of the study include the assessment of drug utilisation pattern for the treatment of dyslipidaemia, the assessment of cost of treatment for dyslipidaemia in the outpatient environment of Malaysian public hospitals and a teaching hospital and to relate the drug utilisation pattern of dyslipidaemia with the clinical practice guideline on management of dyslipidaemia.