Evolving concepts and a new approach for management of hyperlipidemia

Abstract

Although treatment of modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), including hypertension and hyperlipidemia, constitutes a large proportion of visits to family practitioners, most surveys reveal that neither hypertension nor hyperlipidemia are treated to targets specified by national guidelines. Current recommendations for the management of hypertension have evolved from earlier recommendations to titrate to high-dose monotherapy if needed to an emphasis on combination therapy, which can achieve greater efficacy than monotherapy without the increased side effects associated with a high-dose single agent.