OBJECTIVES: Previous research has demonstrated that prevalence of dyslipidemia in Russian adults is high. However, there is limited data on patients’ treatment rate and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study used data from a cross-sectional, population-based survey of Russians to estimate dyslipidemia treatment rate and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk levels.

METHODS: This study used data from two administrations (2011 and 2013) of the Russia National Health and Wellness Survey, an Internet-based survey administered to a demographically representative adults (18 and older; n=20,039). Those who were at least 40 years and self-reported a diagnosis of dyslipidemia by a medical provider (n=1,633) were included in the study. Data analysis consisted of using mean and standard deviations for continuous data and counts and percentages of categorical data to report socio-demographic characteristics, medication use, and CVD risk (moderate, high, and very high), which was derived using a modified Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation algorithm (SCORE; 2016 version) that included self-reported low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and blood pressure (BP).

RESULTS: Those who reported a diagnosis of dyslipidemia were more likely to be middle-aged (mean age=52.9, SD=13.6), women (58.5%), and from the middle/upper socioeconomic class (27.1%). Only 28.2% of patients reported using prescription medications for high cholesterol; 96% were statins. Only 448 respondents (27.4%) knew their LDL-C and BP. Application of the modified SCORE algorithm found that 67.0%, 22.8% and 10.3% had moderate, high, and very high risk for CVD, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of adult Russians reported treating dyslipidemia with lipid-lowering prescriptions or knew their LDL-C level and blood pressure. Taken together, these findings indicate most patients were unaware of their health status and treatment options, which puts them at risk for a range of potential health problems including premature death. It underscores the need for dyslipidemia assessment, education and treatment in Russia.