To assess the impact of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines, the 7,347 primary care members of the Florida Medical Association received a confidential mailed questionnaire. A follow-up survey polling 5% of the nonresponders validated the initial observations. Of the 1,909 analyzed returns, 96% of the physicians' responses indicated that they believed cholesterol is an important factor in preventing atherosclerosis. However, responses to other questions were far less uniform. For example, 92% of general internists (n = 495) reported being aware of the NCEP guidelines versus 98% of cardiologists (n = 212) (p less than .01) and only 78.7% of OB/GYN specialists (n = 218) (p less than .0001). While 88.2% of general internists responded that the guidelines were relevant in treating their patients, 80.2% of OB/GYN physicians answered likewise (p less than .03). Moreover, only 54% of OB/GYN specialists reported routinely measuring serum cholesterol in their patients compared to 96.7% of general internists (p less than .0001). Most Florida primary care physicians are aware of the NCEP guidelines; however, the impact varies widely among practitioners.