The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association released updated guidelines Friday recommending millions more adults consider cholesterol-lowering medications as early as age 30. An estimated 1 in 4 U.S. adults has high LDL cholesterol levels, which increase heart attack and stroke risk.
Statin therapy is recommended for adults as young as 30 who have LDL cholesterol of 160 mg/dL or higher, a strong family history of premature heart disease, or high 30-year cardiovascular risk. For borderline or intermediate risk adults aged 30-79 who start statins, the guideline recommends lowering LDL cholesterol to less than 100 mg/dL.
The guidelines also recommend all adults be tested once for lipoprotein(a), a genetic risk marker for heart disease. The focus is on earlier intervention to reduce long-term cholesterol exposure, which may carry greater risks than short-term exposure.
Incorporating a 30-year risk criterion could potentially extend statin therapy consideration to several million additional Americans. Experts emphasize that "lower LDL for longer, just like lower blood pressure for longer, results in much greater protection against future heart attack and stroke risk."
