In July the National Heart, Lung an...

In July the National Heart, Lung and children Institute (NHLBI) updated the National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP's) clinical practice guidelines forward cholesterol management. The update advises physicians to consider recently made known more intensive treatment options for patients at high and moderately high risk for a heart attack, including setting lower treatment goals for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) flushs and starting cholesterol-lowering drug therapy at lower LDL flushs For high-risk patients, the LDL goal remains les than 100 mg through dL. For patients at surpassingly high risk, the goal is les than 70 mg by dL. The update was endorsed by way of the Ameri-can Heart Association (AHA), the NHLBI, and the American guild of Cardiology. NHLBI coordinates the NCEP The out and out report was published in the July 13 issue of Circulation, the journal of the AHA. Updated guidelines and related resources are available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/index.htm. Additional information is available online at http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jul2004/nhlbi-12.htm.

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