Level of knowledge about dyslipidemia screening in clinical laboratories in Portoviejo, Ecuador

Dyslipidemias are associated with the atherosclerotic process, and it has been shown that the control of these alterations reduces the incidence of episodes of ischemic origin. The purpose of this research was to assess the level of knowledge about the diagnosis of dyslipidemia according to international recommendations and strategies, through a survey of health personnel involved both in performing the tests and in the indication of the study of dyslipidemia. A total of 60 people were surveyed, more than half were in their second decade of life, and a little less than half had less than a year of work experience. The majority were laboratory technicians and doctors, but very few had fourth-level studies. More than half practiced their profession in different health centers in the province of Manabí, and some teachers and students from the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Manabí Technical University participated. The respondents had levels of knowledge valued from medium to low when they were consulted about the basic lipid profile for the correct diagnosis of it, about the concept of atherogenic cholesterol (non-HDL), about the users to whom the profile should be measured lipid as a screening test and on the conditions that affect the pre, post and analytical phases of the lipid profile.