Coaching by non-drug prescribing health professionals reduced total cholesterol concentrations in coronary heart disease.

Patients: 792 patients (mean age 59 y, 77% men) who were admitted to hospital for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention, acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina and discharged on medical therapy, or coronary angiography with planned elective revascularisation. Exclusion criteria: no telephone access, inability to speak or read English or travel to hospital for follow up visits, no fasting blood sample taken (24 hours of hospital admission, participation in another lipid study, or illness too severe to be interviewed in hospital.