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
