Implementing New Guidelines in the Management of Blood Cholesterol

The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recently released updated guidelines on the management of blood cholesterol. Long the cornerstone of primary and secondary prevention, lipid management could be complex based on treatment tolerance, multiple therapeutic classes, reaching targets, identifying appropriate risk, and affordability. The new guidelines redefine atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, focus on lifestyle modification, simplify medical therapy, and identify risk through Pooled Cohort Risk Assessment Equations. Recommendations were based on a review of available randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses examining outcomes related to the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Here, Boyden et al discuss implementing new guideline in the management of blood cholesterol.