New guidelines from the American College of Cardiology for cholesterol guidelines are here, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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A quarter of US adults have elevated levels of LDL, the type of cholesterol in the blood most often associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Now the American College of Cardiology has issued new guidelines for managing cholesterol, last updated 10 years ago. Johns Hopkins cardiologist Roger Blumenthal headed the committee.

Blumenthal: I think the number one take away is to assess and treat early. We know that young adults have been experiencing significant rises in obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, heart failure and stroke and we think it's important to assess youngsters’ cardiovascular risk around age 10 and again around age 20. And then at least every five years after that just like we check a blood pressure and check a blood sugar. It would be important for individuals with a family history of early heart disease to be thinking about that.  :31

Blumenthal notes that 80% or more of cardiovascular disease is preventable and that cholesterol levels in the blood are a major factor that can be modified. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.