title: Cholesterol guidelines update: more aggressive therapy for higher-risk patients.
abstract: The 2004 update to the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines goes farther than the 2001 version in suggesting an optional low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal of less than 70 mg/dL for patients at "very high risk." It recommends starting both diet and drug therapy in all patients at high or very high risk whose LDL-C level is above the goal level, with the goal of reducing LDL-C by 30% to 40%. These more aggressive guidelines are based on results of five clinical studies published since 2001.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Cardiology Section, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. huangj1@ccf.org
authors.forename: Julie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Byron J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hoogwerf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000592:standards; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012015:Reference Standards; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors