Table 1

Summary of primary care physician’s (PCP) demographics and responses to questions (%) about awareness, knowledge, practices and preferences regarding familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in ‘10 countries’

Country/regionAustraliaJapanMalaysiaSouth KoreaPhilippinesHong KongChinaVietnamTaiwanUK15
 Number of PCPs15119721997625911813738100
Demographics
 Male62%84%24%81%37%53%42%46%74%42%
 Urban/metropolitan52%49%63%82%63%100%82%40%100%47%
 Suburban/outer metropolitan33%30%0%14%15%0%18%27%0%44%
 Rural16%21%37%4%23%0%0%33%0%9%
Awareness
 Familiarity of FH rated as above average32%23%38%28%34%50%23%49%47%39%
 Awareness about FH guidelines36%47%35%34%N/A43%8%28%53%61%
 Awareness about lipid specialists51%33%34%30%31%40%12%39%57%50%
Knowledge
 Correctly described FH72%77%86%51%73%62%75%65%60%89%
 Correctly identified lipid profile59%85%65%57%48%51%85%45%61%74%
 Correctly identified prevalence of FH in the community26%41%24%19%16%11%17%14%30%30%
 Correctly identified the transmission rate of FH to first-degree relatives44%40%49%42%37%49%36%26%61%51%
 Correctly identified the cardiovascular disease risk in untreated patients with FH14%13%9%8%10%7%4%2%5%14%
 Correctly identified that genetic testing was not required to accurately diagnose FH50%52%47%64%68%38%38%58%24%52%
 Selected statins to best treat hypercholesterolaemia89%85%96%90%95%93%95%75%95%94%
 Selected a combination of statin and ezetimibe to treat severe hypercholesterolaemia64%48%56%70%48%49%77%31%63%50%
Practice
 Screened patients with premature coronary artery disease for family history93%83%95%89%92%95%94%85%95%90%
 Performed routine family screening of patients with FH (if there were patients with FH under their care)86%30%82%50%53%90%47%83%77%73%
 The most prevalent age for screening young people in a kindred with FH was 13–18 years, which was selected by52%18%52%54%52%48%16%33%20%45%
 Have referred patients with FH to a lipid specialists (if aware of lipid specialist)66%26%52%57%32%86%86%49%100%72%
Preference
 Selected PCPs as the most effective healthcare provider for the early detection of FH80%45%92%71%58%76%8%23%50%82%
 Selected interpretive commenting on lipid profiles to highlight patients at risk of FH89%57%92%84%92%85%86%72%89%88%