TABLE 1

Key updates (in bold) to the cholesterol guidelines

Topic20132018
LifestyleCornerstone of ASCVD and preventionCornerstone of ASCVD and prevention
First-line drugs for ASCVD risk reductionStatinsStatins
Clinician-patient risk discussionIntroducedEmphasized before beginning statin
Risk assessment in primary preventionStarts with PCE risk estimationStarts with PCE risk estimation
Tailoring treatmentSome biomarkers and noninvasive testsExtensive list of risk enhancers
Intermediate risk patientsNo recommendation for additional testingConsider CAC scoring and risk enhancers
Nonstatin agents in secondary preventionNoneEzetimib (Zetia)
PCSK9 inhibitors
  • ASCVD = atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; CAC = coronary artery calcium; PCE = Pooled Cohort Equation; PCSK9 = proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9

    Source: Data from references 3 and 4.