When and how to treat hyperlipidemia.

The recently completed NHLBI sponsored multicenter double-blind Coronary Heart Disease Prevention Trial has provided the long sought-after proof that hyperlipidemia is a major CAD risk factor and that the incidence of CHD and its complications can be favorable modified by control of hyperlipidemia with appropriate diet-drug therapy. This nationwide study confirms and validates the earlier reports on the feasibility to stabilize or to promote regression of atherosclerotic arterial lesions through hyperlipidemia control. Current investigations suggest that in most instances, simple differentiation of hyperlipidemias into hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia (major components of low-density and very low-density lipoprotein) can supply adequate information for clinical practice. In difficult-to-control hyperlipidemias, the application of lipoprotein analysis may provide insight of the underlying genetic-metabolic abnormality for selection of more specific therapeutic modality. Before considering hypolipemic therapy, secondary hyperlipidemias should be excluded. In those cases, treatment should be directed to the primary disease(s) for the solution of the hyperlipemic problem. Life-long dietary modification is the key step to treatment of all types of hyperlipidemias, and especially the primary hyperlipidemias. In this latter group, both the patient and the family should be educated on the principles and the importance of dietary modification to boost compliance. In familial hyperlipidemias, a specifically effective hypolipemic drug, or a combination of drugs with minimal or no long-term toxic and side effects, should be prescribed to augment the therapeutic diet to lower the elevated plasma lipid levels and stabilize them at normal range. Early detection and control of atherosclerosis-prone hyperlipidemias in children and young adults should be vigorously promoted to improve cardiovascular health of the population and to reduce the escalation of health care expenses.