Though lifestyle management remains the first line of treatment for management of dyslipidemia, new guideline states that if the goal is not achieved with lifestyle alone than pharmacological agent should be considered.  A successful management will reduce the dreaded risk of CVD.

Team@CMHF

The European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have issued new guidelines for comprehensive lipid control in Europe.

The aim of the guidelines was to “keep pace with emerging data and provide up to date treatment advice for a wide range of dyslipidemias, including diabetes and the metabolic syndrome and low-density lipoprotein. LDLcholesterol should remain the primary priority in lipid management.”

It is recommended that LDL cholesterol levels be kept below 3.0 mmol/l (115 mg/dl) in moderate-risk patients, 2.5 mmol/l (100 mg/dl) in high-risk patients, and 1.8 mmol/l (70 mg/dl) and/or at least 50% reductions in levels if this target cannot be met in very high-risk patients.  The guidelines stress that lipid-modifying treatment should be tailored according to the cardiovascular risk of the patient.

Lifestyle management should be the first line of treatment. If that doesn’t help to achieve the target, statins should be considered. For the patients who don’t tolerate statins, alternative treatment methods such as combination therapy with a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, bile acid sequestrant, or nicotinic acid should be given.

Reference: http://www.incirculation.net/NewsItem/Guidelines-issued-for-management-of-dyslipidemias.aspx