People can respond to dietary changes within four to six weeks. Lowering their low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by up to 30 percent can significantly reduce their risk of coronary heart disease.

"If cholesterol reductions of these amounts can be achieved by changes in lifestyle... there may be no need for many patients to take cholesterol-lowering medicines," says Professor David Colquhoun, a cardiologist from Wesley Medical Centre in Brisbane.

"Statins should only be prescribed if these changes in lifestyle have not worked."

About Australian Prescriber

Australian Prescriber is an independent review of therapeutics. It aims to provide short direct and didactic reviews on a range of topics which will assist the readers in their professional duties.

Australian Prescriber was first published in 1975. Australian health professionals had previously been sent the British Prescribers' Journal, but this had become less relevant to Australian practice. Australian Prescriber was published by the Australian Department of Health until the National Prescribing Service assumed responsibility for the journal in 2002. Past covers of the journal make a colourful display, marking the evolution of the journal since 1975.

Australian Prescriber is distributed 6 times each year to doctors, dentists, pharmacists and students of these disciplines. The majority of readers are in Australia, but there is a growing readership in the Asia-Pacific region.

Australian Prescriber