New guidelines on cholesterol management: Experts explain the updates

Dyslipidemia is a cardiovascular-related condition that occurs when the body’s blood lipids, or fats, are unbalanced. The most common type of dyslipidemia is hypercholesterolemia , which is the medical term for high cholesterol .

Typically linked to high levels of “bad cholesterol,” low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) , researchers estimate that high cholesterol is attributable to about 4.4 million deaths every year. Past research shows that people with dyslipidemia are at an increased risk for several cardiovascular conditions, including high blood pressure , heart attack , stroke, peripheral artery disease , atherosclerosis , and coronary artery disease .

Dyslipidemia can also heighten a person’s chance of developing type 2 diabetes , pancreatitis , and chronic kidney disease . Recently, the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) announced the publishing of updated guidelines for doctors for the management of dyslipidemia.