The new cholesterol guidelines. Applying them in clinical practice.

In 2001, the National Institutes of Health released the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). Compared with previous cholesterol guidelines, the new guidelines contain several significant changes in treatment recommendations for patients with hyperlipidemia. In this article, Dr Pearlman reviews the latest guidelines and offers case examples that demonstrate how to incorporate the recommendations routinely into clinical practice.