The guidelines include treatment for people at high risk and offer a personalized risk assessment. The recommendations also encourage health care providers to assess whether a new drug is having the desired effect, within 12 weeks.

“I believe they represent significant positive steps in the way we treat cholesterol and the way we need to assess patients’ cardiovascular risk,” says Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist.

Nearly 800,000 people die of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular related diseases in the U.S. each year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Amy Pollak, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, says she’s excited about the new guidelines because a lot has happened since 2013. "The revised guidelines do a beautiful job of integrating the data that’s come out over the last five years," says Dr. Pollak. "This has been much anticipated, and I think it will be a very useful tool for health care providers and patients as we talk about the right cholesterol level for a given patient, what the future risk of heart disease might be for that patient, and is there a role for medications."

Watch: Dr. Amy Pollak discusses updated cholesterol guidelines.

Review highlights from the new statement:

• High cholesterol, at any age, can increase a person’s lifetime risk for heart disease and stroke. A healthy lifestyle is the first step in prevention and treatment to lower that risk.
• The 2018 guidelines recommend more detailed risk assessments to help health care providers better determine a person’s individualized risk and treatment options.
• In some cases, a coronary artery calcium score can help determine a person’s need for cholesterol-lowering treatment, if their risk status is uncertain or if the treatment decision isn't clear.
• While statins are still the first choice of medication for lowering cholesterol, new drug options are available for people who have already had a heart attack or stroke and are at highest risk of having another. For those people, medication should be prescribed in a stepped approach, first with a maximum intensity statin treatment, adding ezetimibe if desired LDL cholesterol levels aren’t met and then adding a PCSK9 inhibitor if further cholesterol reduction is needed.

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"The federal premium subsidies will continue to reduce the cost of insurance for the millions of Americans who receive them and continue to improve access to health care,” says John Noseworthy, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic, which has campuses in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona. “It is important that we not step back from our commitment to health insurance coverage for all Americans.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, newsbureau@mayo.edu / 507-284-5005.

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On Saturday, Jan. 18, Mayo Clinic President and CEO John Noseworthy, M.D., joins the show to discuss the future of health care. How does the Affordable Care Act affect the future of health care? Does Mayo Clinic have a role and what responsibilities do patients and the government play? With a rapidly aging population, what challenges does Medicare face and how can those challenges be addressed? Below are video excerpts from the recorded conversation between Dr. Noseworthy and co-hosts Dr. Tom Shives and Tracy McCray. 

Please join us LIVE at 9 am CT. Click here.

Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines:  News Segment January 11, 2013  (right click MP3)

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