ATLANTA — The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and several other medical groups released updated guidelines for managing cholesterol and reducing heart attack and stroke risk.
Dr. Carl Orringer said the guidelines emphasize healthy lifestyle changes, including maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco, and following a heart-healthy diet.
The recommendations focus on managing dyslipidemia, or abnormal blood lipid levels.
“It is estimated 1 in 4 U.S. adults has high levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke,” according to the American Heart Association.
The guideline recommends considering additional tests, when appropriate, including coronary artery calcium scans, ApoB, and lipoprotein(a), to help assess cardiovascular risk.
Updated LDL-C goals are less than 100 mg/dL for people at borderline or intermediate risk, and less than 70 mg/dL for those at high risk.
Roger Blumenthal, chair of the guideline committee, said, “Lower LDL cholesterol for longer results in much greater protection against future heart attack and stroke risk.”