title: [LDL cholesterol control in patients with very high cardiovascular risk. A simplified algorithm for achieving LDL cholesterol goals "in two steps"].
abstract: Reducing low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) is the main lipid goal of treatment for patients with very high cardiovascular risk. In these patients the therapeutic goal is to achieve a LDL-c lower than 70 mg/dL, as recommended by the guidelines for cardiovascular prevention commonly used in Spain and Europe. However, the degree of achieving these objectives in this group of patients is very low. This article describes the prevalence of the problem and the causes that motivate it. Recommendations and tools that can facilitate the design of an optimal treatment strategy for achieving the goals are also given. In addition, a new tool with a simple algorithm that can allow these very high risk patients to achieve the goals "in two-steps", i.e., with only two doctor check-ups, is presented.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España; Grupo de Trabajo de la Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis.. Electronic address: cguijarro@fhalcorcon.es.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guijarro-Herraiz
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Medicina Vascular i Metabolisme, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, CIBERDEM, Reus, Tarragona, España; Grupo de Trabajo de la Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masana-Marin
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España; Grupo de Trabajo de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galve
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, España; Grupo de Trabajo de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cordero-Fort
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL
keywords: Algorithm; Algoritmo; Colesterol LDL; Factores de riesgo; Hipercolesterolemia; Hipolipemiantes; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypolipidemic agents; LDL cholesterol; Risk factors