Guideline on Cholesterol Management: 2018 Update

Updated lipid guidelines return to LDL targets for high-risk patients, provide guidance on coronary artery calcium testing, and personalize risk assessments.

Sponsoring Organizations: American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA), and 10 other clinical organizations

Target Population: Patients needing primary or secondary prevention for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)

Background and Objective

The 2013 ACC/AHA prevention guidelines shifted away from LDL targets and recommended moderate- or high-intensity statin therapy for patients based on risk profiles. The 2018 updated guideline reestablishes LDL goals, incorporates new evidence on nonstatin therapies, and addresses concerns about ASCVD risk overestimation for primary prevention.

Key Recommendations

For patients with established ASCVD, high-intensity statins should be used to obtain ≥50% reduction in LDL. If …

Reviewing Author

Fatima Rodriguez, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNovoNordisk; HealthPals; Novartis; Amgen

EquityHealthPals; Carta

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association–Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Editorial BoardsCardiology and Therapy