Frequency of lipid-lowering drug therapy after coronary and carotid operations for atherosclerosis

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and carotid endarterectomy (CE) are palliative operations for patients with severe atherosclerosis of the coronary or carotid arteries. Secondary preventive measures after these operations have received little attention. We conducted a retrospective observational study to determine the frequency of lipid-lowering drug therapy before and after CABG or CE done in 1997. Of the 204 patients who had CABG, 56 (27%) were receiving lipid-lowering drug therapy before admission, and 71 (37%) of 192 were discharged receiving it. Of the 59 patients who had CE, only 12 (20%) were taking a lipid-lowering drug before admission, and 8 (14%) upon discharge. Of those 59 patients, 23 (39%) had coronary artery disease. Secondary prevention after coronary or carotid operations for atherosclerosis has been underemphasized at our institution, prompting the establishment of a postoperative risk reduction program.