American Heart Association's New Cholesterol Guidelines Emphasise Earlier Screening, Lifetime Heart Risk Reduction The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have released the 2026 Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia, marking the first major update to cholesterol guidelines since 2018. The new recommendations focus on dyslipidemias, including LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and emphasize strategies to reduce lifetime cardiovascular risk through earlier screening and personalized treatment. The guidelines, published jointly in Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, incorporate evidence up to late 2024 and aim to address the rising prevalence of heart disease in younger populations. Dr. Roger Blumenthal, chair of the guideline writing committee and director of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, highlighted that 80% or more of cardiovascular disease is preventable. He noted that elevated LDL cholesterol, often called "bad" cholesterol, is a significant contributor to this risk. While lifestyle changes remain the first step in managing cholesterol, the guidelines recommend initiating lipid-lowering medication earlier than previously advised if lifestyle modifications fail to bring lipid levels into the desired range. Lowering LDL cholesterol over the long term, similar to managing blood pressure, provides greater protection against future heart attacks and strokes. The guidelines replace older risk assessment tools like the Pooled Cohort Equations, which overestimated the 10-year risk of heart attack and stroke by 40%-50%.#circulation #american_heart_association #american_college_of_cardiology #johns_hopkins_ciccarone_center #prevent_ascvd
People with high cholesterol may need to begin statins in their 30s Millions more adults should consider starting cholesterol-lowering medications earlier to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke, according to new medical guidance. In an updated guideline released Friday, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association – along with nine other medical groups – emphasize that treating high cholesterol sooner, even starting in their 30s, could significantly reduce a person’s lifetime risk of heart attack or stroke. The 123-page guideline covers many aspects of managing cholesterol and triglycerides, but one message stands out: Don’t wait too long to act. “Our standard practice has been to assess 10-year risk, and statistically that will be low for a person in their 30s. But now we see a shift to 30-year risk projections,” said Dr. Jennifer Haythe, co-director of the Women’s Heart Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, who was not involved in the updated guidance. “The potential benefits of starting lipid-lowering agents in younger patients are real, as there is well-supported trial data that longer duration of reduced LDL exposure translates to less plaque accumulation.” In the United States, “there are roughly 65 to 70 million people ages 30 to 44,” she said. “So even if some small fraction of those individuals has an LDL greater than 160, the number potentially qualifying under the new criteria – with a higher 30-year risk – could be in the millions.” Statins, some of the most commonly prescribed types of medication, work by lowering LDL cholesterol, which can build up in the arteries over time.#american_heart_association #american_college_of_cardiology #newyork_presbyterian #columbia_university_irving_medical_center
New guidelines offer new approach for managing high cholesterol Doctors now recommend that patients get a lipoprotein(a) test along with other screenings to manage high cholesterol, according to updated guidelines released by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. The guidelines emphasize more aggressive prevention strategies and earlier treatment, including a one-time lipoprotein(a) test for all adults. This genetic marker is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular conditions. The guidelines aim to improve tools doctors use to assess cardiovascular risk, which remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Dr. Roger Blumenthal, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins and chair of the guideline writing committee, noted that 80% or more of cardiovascular disease is preventable. Elevated LDL cholesterol, often called "bad" cholesterol, plays a major role in this risk. However, relying solely on LDL levels may not be sufficient. Blumenthal highlighted that measuring additional biomarkers can provide a more complete picture of a patient’s risk and help determine whether cholesterol-lowering therapy should begin earlier. The lipoprotein(a) test is a simple blood test that is widely available and increasingly offered by primary care physicians as part of preventive care. Since lipoprotein(a) is genetically determined and stable over time, it typically needs to be tested only once, ideally early in adulthood. Elevated levels indicate an inherited risk for cardiovascular disease. The guidelines also promote the use of coronary calcium scoring, a noninvasive scan that measures calcified plaque in arteries.#american_heart_association #american_college_of_cardiology #johns_hopkins #cleveland_clinic #circulation
