New US Guidelines Push Early Lipid Control to Fight Heart Disease
US cardiologists updated the 2018 cholesterol guidelines, emphasizing earlier treatment of dyslipidemia to cut lifetime ASCVD risk. Key changes include screening starting in childhood (as young as 9–11, potentially earlier with family history), a new PREVENT risk calculator to personalize 10-year and 30-year cardiovascular risk, LDL targets of <100 mg/dL for borderline/intermediate risk, <70 mg/dL for high risk, and <55 mg/dL for very high risk, and a broader use of therapies (statins and other lipid-lowering drugs) alongside lifestyle changes to reduce long-term heart attack and stroke risk.