Treatment of adults with Familial Hypercholesterolemia and evidence for treatment: Recommendations from the National Lipid Association Expert Panel on Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Abstract

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemias (FH) are at greatly increased lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). If left untreated, most individuals with FH will experience premature coronary heart disease (CHD) and/or stroke. The mean age of onset of a cardiovascular event in men with FH is in the early 40s and in women with FH in the early 50s. Although fewer than 5% of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) occur in individuals #40 years of age, FH is associated with a 24-fold increase in the risk of myocardial infarction by age 40. In western countries, the prevalence of CVD in middle-aged individuals with FH ranges from 22% to 39%. Therefore, all individuals with FH, regardless of age, will require lifestyle and drug