Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification - updated guidance (NG238)
This guideline updates and replaces CG181 (July 2014). There is a new recommendation on target lipid level for secondary prevention of CVD for adults on lipid-lowering treatment, to aim for LDL cholesterol levels of ≤2.0 mmol/L, or non-HDL cholesterol levels of ≤2.6 mmol/L.
Source:
National Institute for Health and Care Research
SPS commentary:
In its press release, NICE estimates that 2.6 million people in England have CVD with ~ 2.1 million prescribed cholesterol lowering therapies, and by increasing the number of people reaching ≤2.0 mmol/L LDL target, many more strokes, heart attacks, and premature deaths can be avoided. The potential benefits of implementing these recommendations will vary according to how many people with uncontrolled CVD take additional treatments to reduce their cholesterol. NICE estimates there could be between 50,000 and 145,000 fewer CVD events over 10 years.