Continuous Improvement and the Expansion of Quality ... - NCQA

C H R o N I C D I S E A S E M A N A G E M E N T
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High cholesterol puts people at increased risk for heart disease when fatty deposits adhere to
artery walls and make it more difficult for blood to flow. Reduced blood flow limits the amount
of oxygen reaching the heart, which could lead to heart failure, and low blood circulation to
the brain could lead to a stroke. 1,2 An estimated 82 million American adults have some form
of cardiovascular disease. 3 Each year more than 600,000 die, making heart disease the
leading cause of death in the United States. 4 The Cholesterol Management for Patients with
Cardiovascular Conditions measure assesses whether adults who have cardiovascular conditions
are screened for high cholesterol.
• High cholesterol has no symptoms, making
screening vital to diagnosing and treating
this harbinger of heart disease before
serious damage occurs. 5
• Reducing lDl-C (“bad” cholesterol) levels
has been shown to lower the occurrence of
adverse cardiovascular events. 6
the Case for Improvement
• Researchers from the American Heart
Association predict that by 2030, more
than 40 percent of the U.S. population will
have some form of cardiovascular disease.
The estimated direct medical costs to treat
these individuals will triple during this time
frame, from $273 billion to $818 billion
annually. 7
N AT I o N A l C o M M I T T E E f o R Q U A l I T y A S S U R A N C E
CHolESTERol MANAGEMENT foR PATIENTS
WITH CARDIoVASCUlAR CoNDITIoNS
• lowering the level of lDl cholesterol in
patients with coronary heart disease
reduces the risk that patients will suffer
another cardiac event or stroke. 8 lifestyle
changes, like physical activity, a low-fat
diet and drug therapy, such as statins, have
been found to be effective ways to lower
lDl cholesterol. 8,9
• If the American population decreased its
total cholesterol levels by 10 percent, new
cases of cardiovascular disease would drop
an estimated 30 percent. 3
HEdIs Measure definition
The percentage of adults 18–75 years of
age who were discharged alive for acute
myocardial infarction (AMI), coronary
artery bypass graft (CAbG) or percutaneous
coronary interventions (PCI) from January
1–November 1 of the year prior to the
measurement year, or who had a diagnosis
of ischemic vascular disease (IVD) during