Result Summary for Survey:Cholesterol Controversies and Conundrums

What Doctors Think

Survey Results

Cholesterol Controversies and Conundrums

1. If you have a subspecialty in cardiology please click on it.
		Response Percent	Response Count
Electrophysiology		7.0%	3
Echocardiography		34.9%	15
Nuclear Cardiology		23.3%	10
Cardiac CT/MR		4.7%	2
Heart Failure		18.6%	8
Interventional Cardiology		37.2%	16
Coronary Care Unit		11.6%	5
Other (please specify)			10
	answered question		43
	skipped question		19

2. Which is your first line drug for lowering cholesterol in your patients?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Lipitor		53.2%	33
Lescol		1.6%	1
Mevacor		0.0%	0
Pravachol		3.2%	2
Crestor		21.0%	13
Zocor		6.5%	4
Zetia		3.2%	2
Vytorin		11.3%	7
Simvastatin (generic Zocor)		30.6%	19
Lovastatin (generic Mevacor)		1.6%	1
Pravastatin (generic Pravachol)		3.2%	2
Other (please specify)		3.2%	2
	answered question		62
	skipped question		0

3. Do you think that Zetia significantly lowers cholesterol?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		90.7%	49
No		9.3%	5
Other (please specify)			9
	answered question		54
	skipped question		8

4. Does Zetia lower cholesterol better than statins?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		1.6%	1
No		98.4%	60
Other (please specify)			2
	answered question		61
	skipped question		1

5. Does Zetia taken in combination with a statin lower cholesterol more than just taking a statin alone?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		93.2%	55
No		6.8%	4
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		59
	skipped question		3

6. Does taking Zetia plus a separate statin lower cholesterol more than taking Vytorin (a fixed combination of Zetia+Simvastatin)?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		28.8%	15
No		75.0%	39
Other (please specify)			15
	answered question		52
	skipped question		10

7. The recent ENHANCE study by Merck & Co. Inc. and Schering-Plough Corp. shows that Vytorin (Zetia + Simvastatin/Zocor) is no more effective in lowering cholesterol than Simvastatin alone. Has that been your experience as well?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		23.6%	13
No		76.4%	42
Other (please specify)			11
	answered question		55
	skipped question		7

8. The ENHANCE study was done on patients with a severe form of familial hypercholesterolemia. Can the results of such a study be applicable to patients who have a non-familial elevated cholesterol secondary to age, obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		32.2%	19
No		67.8%	40
Other (please specify)			9
	answered question		59
	skipped question		3

9. As a result of the ENHANCE study, the media has reported that many patients have stopped taking Vytorin, and have asked their doctors to switch them to a different cholesterol lowering drug. Approximately what percentage of your patients on Vytorin have contacted you and requested a switch from Vytorin to another agent?
		Response Percent	Response Count
0%		14.5%	9
5%		27.4%	17
10%		16.1%	10
20%		21.0%	13
30%		11.3%	7
40%		0.0%	0
50%		6.5%	4
Greater than 50%		3.2%	2
	answered question		62
	skipped question		0

10. If patients have asked you to switch them from Vytorin to another drug, what have you done?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Advised them not to switch since I believe Vytorin works better than a statin alone.		19.7%	12
Advised them not to switch, but if they insist, switched them to a different agent.		39.3%	24
Switched them to a different drug since I believe the ENHANCE study shows that Vytorin is no better than Simvastatin alone.		13.1%	8
It depends on the specific patient and other factors.		31.1%	19
Other (please specify)			2
	answered question		61
	skipped question		1

11. After reading the results of the ENHANCE study, have you advised patients to switch from Vytorin to another agent?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		21.0%	13
No		79.0%	49
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		62
	skipped question		0

12. Prior to publication of the ENHANCE study results, would you have prescribed Vytorin for yourself or a close family member?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		72.1%	44
No		27.9%	17
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		61
	skipped question		1

13. After reviewing the results of the ENHANCE study, would you prescribe Vytorin for yourself or a close family member?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		61.8%	34
No		38.2%	21
Other (please specify)			8
	answered question		55
	skipped question		7

14. According to the American Heart Association web site: American Heart Association President, Daniel W. Jones, M.D. said, “Because Vytorin does not appear to be unsafe, lipid-lowering therapy with simvastatin is of proven benefit, and some patients have been prescribed Vytorin because a statin alone may not have been sufficiently effective in lowering their LDL or was not appropriate for them because of other medical conditions, we do not believe patients should stop taking the drug on their own. However, patients on this combination drug should check with their doctor to see if they should stay on the drug, be switched to a statin alone, or take another combination of drugs for their cholesterol.” Do you agree with the American Heart association stand on Vytorin?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		86.9%	53
No		13.1%	8
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		61
	skipped question		1

15. The American College of Cardiology opinion on Vytorin as stated on their web site is "that major clinical decisions not be made on the basis of the ENHANCE study alone. This study deserves serious thought and follow-up. The overall incidence rates of cardiac events were nearly identical in both treatment groups, and both medicines were generally well tolerated. There should no be reason for patients to panic." Do you agree with the American College of Cardiology stand on Vytorin?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		90.0%	54
No		10.0%	6
Other (please specify)			1
	answered question		60
	skipped question		2

16. Do you believe that the ENHANCE study demonstrated some harmful effects from Vytorin and that this drug should not be prescribed at all?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		3.4%	2
No		96.6%	57
Other (please specify)			5
	answered question		59
	skipped question		3

17. Following the ENHANCE study results there has been some questioning in the media as to whether the FDA should have approved Vytorin before results of the ENHANCE study were disclosed. Do you believe the FDA should have approved Vytorin before the ENHANCE studies were available?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		75.0%	45
No		25.0%	15
Other (please specify)			4
	answered question		60
	skipped question		2

18. Some prominent cardiologists and analysts have suggested that results of the ENHANCE study were purposely delayed to prevent decreased sales of Vytorin. Do you believe this is true?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		62.7%	32
No		37.3%	19
Other (please specify)			15
	answered question		51
	skipped question		11

19. The USA House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce and its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations are probing the “withholding of clinical trial data that may significantly affect the medical management of hypercholesterolemia, as well as the use of misleading statement in direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription medicines.” Do you believe that Vytorin direct to consumer ads have been misleading?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		42.4%	25
No		57.6%	34
Other (please specify)			4
	answered question		59
	skipped question		3

20. TV ads for Zetia and Vytorin have been discontinued by Merck and Schering-Plough who co-market the drugs. A spokesman for the companies said, "We've made the decision to voluntarily and temporarily suspend direct-to-consumer broadcast advertising in light of mischaracterization and misinterpretation of the ENHANCE trial results." Do you agree that the TV ads should be discontinued?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		83.3%	50
No		16.7%	10
Other (please specify)			8
	answered question		60
	skipped question		2

21. Print ads for Vytorin and Zetia still continue. Do you think print ads should also be stopped?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		58.3%	35
No		41.7%	25
Other (please specify)			5
	answered question		60
	skipped question		2

22. The FDA recently ruled that Mevacor (lovastatin) 20 mg. should not be approved as an over-the-counter medication. Do you agree with the this FDA decision?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		74.1%	43
No		25.9%	15
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		58
	skipped question		4

23. Do you like to participate in online healthcare related surveys?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		86.0%	49
No		14.0%	8
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		57
	skipped question		5

24. Do you want to participate in other WhatDoctorsThink.com surveys in the future?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		83.1%	49
No		16.9%	10
Other (please specify)			4
	answered question		59
	skipped question		3