[Comment] Statins: new American guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease

Guidelines released on Nov 13, 2013, by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for the management of cholesterol are a major step in the right direction. These new guidelines emphasise prevention of stroke as well as heart disease, focus appropriately on statin therapy rather than alternative unproven therapeutic agents, and recognise that more intensive treatment is superior to less intensive treatment for many patients. Furthermore, the new ACC/AHA guidelines show that for individuals in whom statin therapy is clearly indicated (such as those with previous vascular disease or LDL cholesterol ≥4·9 mmol/L [190 mg/dL]) the benefits on heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death significantly outweigh the risks for developing diabetes or myopathy.
Source: LANCET - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Comment Source Type: research