Escalate the War on Cholesterol

A Call to Escalate the War on Cholesterol

By Rosie Mestel, Times Staff Writer

People at high or moderate risk for a heart attack or stroke should receive even more aggressive treatment than currently recommended to lower blood-cholesterol levels, according to new guidelines released today.

The changes, which could affect millions of Americans, include lowering the threshold at which patients at high risk of heart attack begin treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins.

Instead of receiving treatment only if their “bad,” or LDL, cholesterol levels are 130 milligrams per deciliter or higher, they should be given the drugs at 100 or above, a panel of experts recommends.

In addition, the committee suggested a new treatment option for patients at especially high risk of having a heart attack within the next 10 years