Risk Assessment & Hypercholesterolaemia Treatment Goals

If you are found to have high cholesterol levels, your doctor will assess your risks and discuss with you if treatment is required.  He will generally make his recommendations based on the following:

1. Risk Assessment:

• Is there presence of Coronary Heart Disease or “CHD risk equivalent” diseases (i.e strokes, peripheral artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and diabetes mellitus)?

• Are there 2 or more risk factors?

The following are risk factors that modify LDL-cholesterol goals:

• Cigarette smoking

• Hypertension

• Low HDL-cholesterol levels (<1.0 mmol/L or < 40 mg/dL)

• Age (men > 45 years, women > 55 years)

• Family history of premature CHD

2. Determine LDL Cholesterol Goal Based on Risk Assessment:

• CHD or CHD Risk Equivalent: LDL goal < 2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL)

• > 2 Risk Factors: LDL goal < 3.4 mmol/L (130 mg/dL)

• 0 – 1 Risk Factor: LDL goal < 4.1 mmol/L (160 mg/dL)