Familial hypercholesterolemia in Canada: Initial results from the FH Canada national registry

Abstract

Background and aimsFamilial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is under-diagnosed and under-treated in most of the world, including Canada. National registries play a key role in identifying patients with FH, understanding gaps in care, and advancing the science of FH to better treat these patients. MethodsFH Canada has established a national registry across 19 academic sites acting as “hubs” in Canada to increase awareness and access to standard-of-care therapies. ResultsTo-date, more than 3000 patients with FH have been entered into a secure, web-based database. Early outcomes of this initiative include a greater understanding of treatment gaps for patients with FH in Canada, the development of a new, simplified Canadian definition of FH, and tools to aid in the diagnosis of FH, including imputation of baseline levels of LDL cholesterol. ConclusionsAs the national registry expands in size and scope, further learning will emerge with ultimate benefit for the diagnosis and treatment of FH in Canada.