For those interested, the AHA lipid lowering guideline can be downloaded from:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/11/11/01.cir.0000437738.63853.7a
Although LDLc treatment targets have been abandoned, LDLc measurement is recommended as an indicator of response and adherence to statin therapy. The guidelines, if followed in the US, will result in much more use of statins, and high intensity statin treatment in particular, and I would expect this to lead to increased lipid measurements. There is no suggestion in the guideline that the authors believe statins to work other than by cholesterol lowering.
The new risk calculator can be downloaded from the link below, and contrary to precious suggestions is very much active. QRISK2 is more appropriate for the UK, however.
http://my.americanheart.org/professional/StatementsGuidelines/Prevention-Guidelines_UCM_457698_SubHomePage.jsp
The AHA guidelines do not address cost effectiveness, unlike NICE guidelines for the UK.
Best wishes
Ian Young
Prof.Ian S. Young
Professor of Medicine and Director of The Centre for Public Health
Queen's University Belfast
1st Floor ICS B Block
Royal Victoria Hospital
Grosvenor Road
Belfast
BT12 6BJ
Northern Ireland
tel: +44 (0) 2890 632743
fax: +44 (0) 2890 235900
email: [log in to unmask]
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
Green Laboratories Work
http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
|