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Current Cardiology Reports
Published in: Current Cardiology Reports 9/2018

Open Access 01-09-2018 | Lipid Abnormalities and Cardiovascular Prevention (G De Backer, Section Editor)

Lipid Screening, Action, and Follow-up in Children and Adolescents

Author: Albert Wiegman

Published in: Current Cardiology Reports | Issue 9/2018

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

To create awareness for the devastating influence of high cholesterol in familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) on vessel walls. Persons with high LDL-C and a known mutation associated with FH have a 22-fold increase in CVD compared with those with a normal LDL-C and no genetic mutation. If the awareness of the need to diagnose and treat this genetic disorder at an early stage increases, great atherosclerotic impact later in life could be avoided. Every minute a child with heterozygous FH is born somewhere in the world and every day a child with homozygous FH is born.

Recent Findings

Recent findings include effective therapy on statins from the age of 6 years, with already normalization of the intima-media thickness within 2 years. Newer types of drugs, with the same safety profile and perhaps even more effective, will become available in childhood in the near future. Open for discussion will be whom to treat and with what type of treatment. Next generation sequencing will perhaps easily select those in need of treatment and those at risk of adverse effects.

Summary

At the end of this review, statements and recommendations for children and adolescents with heterozygous FH are listed.
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Metadata
Title
Lipid Screening, Action, and Follow-up in Children and Adolescents
Author
Albert Wiegman
Publication date
01-09-2018
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Cardiology Reports / Issue 9/2018
Print ISSN: 1523-3782
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3170
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-018-1014-7

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