A group of 11 US medical societies, including the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, issued updated cholesterol guidelines on March 13, replacing their 2018 recommendations, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
One of the biggest changes is a call to check cholesterol in children ages 9 to 11 if they have not already been tested.
The aim is to catch risk earlier and reduce the chances of heart attack or stroke later in life.
The new advice reflects growing concern that artery disease can begin much earlier than many people assume.
Atherosclerosis, the gradual buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, can start in childhood and develop over decades.
Prof. Marek Naruszewicz, a Polish specialist in atherosclerosis research, said the process may begin very early, even before birth, when a pregnant woman has high cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure.
He pointed to Finland, where babies from high-risk families are screened when there is a history of early death from stroke or heart attack, meaning before age 55. He said the earlier cholesterol is checked, the better.
Polish doctors say the issue is becoming more urgent.
Prof. Piotr Dobrowolski, head of the Independent Lipid Clinic at the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, said more patients in their 40s are now being hospitalized with heart attacks and strokes.
He linked that trend to stress, low physical activity and poor diet, and said cholesterol testing is especially important for people with a family history of sudden cardiac death, stroke or heart attack at a young age.
The updated guidance also introduces a newer cardiovascular risk calculator called PREVENT.
It is designed to estimate a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke over the next 10 and 30 years in adults ages 30 to 79 who do not yet have diagnosed heart disease.
This means that shifting toward earlier, proactive prevention could significantly improve health outcomes decades later.
Another change is greater emphasis on lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a blood particle linked to inherited cardiovascular risk.
The guidelines recommend measuring it at least once, because its level is largely determined by genes and usually stays fairly stable throughout life. Doctors are also advised to use updated cholesterol thresholds when assessing patients.
The broader message remains familiar. Specialists say lowering cholesterol still starts with a healthy diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, and avoiding smoking.
For some patients, cholesterol-lowering medication is still necessary.
(rt/gs)
Source: zdrowie.pap.pl