Health policy for treating hyperlipidemia: analogy with hypertension and prospects for the next decade.

Over the past 15 years, efforts by the health profession to detect and treat high blood pressure have grown remarkably successful. A similar growth now seems likely for high blood cholesterol. Three factors are responsible: the continuing emergence of scientific evidence corroborating the benefit of lowering high blood cholesterol levels by diet or drugs, the formulation in 1984 of more specific health policy guidelines by the Consensus Development Conference on Lowering Blood Cholesterol and the creation in 1985 of the National Cholesterol Education Program. This program has been designed to enhance preventive activities by the public and by health care professionals. Its success will depend in part on resolving problems with the efficacy and acceptability of life-style and drug interventions for lowering blood cholesterol levels.