Management of hyperlipidemia with statins in the older patient

Figures & data

Table 1 Updated National Cholesterol Education Program III Guidelines for treating very high-risk and moderately high-risk persons with lipid-lowering therapy. Adapted from Grundy et al 2004

In very high-risk persons, a serum LDL cholesterol level of <70 mg/dl is a reasonable clinical strategy. When a high-risk person has hypertriglyceridemia or low HDL cholesterol, consideration can be given to combining a fibrate or nicotinic acid with an LDL cholesterol-lowering drug. For moderately high-risk persons (2 or more risk factors* and a 10-year risk for coronary heart disease of 10% to 20%), the serum LDL cholesterol should be lowered to <100 mg/dl. When LDL cholesterol-lowering drug therapy is used to treat high-risk persons or moderately high-risk persons, the serum LDL cholesterol should be decreased at least 30% to 40%.

Note: *Risk factors include cigarette smoking, hypertension, or on antihypertensive medication, a serum HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dl, a family history of premature coronary heart disease, and age (men ≥45 years and women ≥55 years).

Abbreviations: LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein.

GrundySMCleemanJIMerzCNB2004Implications of recent clinical trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelinesCirculation1102273915249516

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