title: Adult Treatment Panel III: do we really need another set of cholesterol guidelines?
abstract: Reducing high levels of plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is still the primary focus of the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines developed by the National Cholesterol Education Program. The LDL-C goal of less than 100 mg/dL for those with coronary heart disease (CHD) is now extended to patients with diabetes and those with a Framingham risk score of greater than 20% in 10 years, both of which are now considered "CHD risk equivalents." Consequently, many more people will be considered candidates for aggressive lipid-lowering therapy under the new ATP III guidelines. Other prominent features in the new guidelines include determining an individual's absolute risk category by using a nine-step process, instituting therapeutic lifestyle changes to reduce LDL-C levels, and strategies for treating patients with other forms of dyslipidemia such as metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, 76107, USA. mclearfi@hsc.unt.edu
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Clearfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL