Choosing the most appropriate therapy for lipid disorders.
BACKGROUND
There is general acceptance of the need to treat hyperlipidaemia to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. However, the level at which it is appropriate to introduce drug therapy varies with the cardiovascular risk of the patient. As the range of medications available increases, choosing the appropriate therapy for a patient becomes more difficult.


OBJECTIVE
To provide the practitioner with a clear view of lipid treatment goals and how to select the most appropriate treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Diet is the cornerstone of treatment, with a discretionary use of drugs when hyperlipidaemia persists, particularly in those patients with unacceptably high cardiovascular risk. For a predominant cholesterol problem statin drugs are first choice, whereas fibrate drugs are most appropriate for hypertriglyceridaemia. For mixed hyperlipidaemia statin, fibrate or combinations may be required. Treatment is effective and safe but compliance with long term therapy remains a problem.
Simons
L A
LA
Lipid Research Department, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales. l.simons@notes.med.unsw.edu.au
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents