New Australian guidance lowers cholesterol targets for acute coronary syndrome
Professor Mark Nelson says GPs should feel empowered to make changes to treatment.
Patients with acute coronary syndrome should target LDL cholesterol below 1.4mmol/L and a 50% reduction compared with baseline levels, updated guidance says.
The new guidance from the Heart Foundation and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, published on Wednesday, aligns Australia with international guidelines, says Heart Foundation chief medical adviser Professor Garry Jennings.
“There has been a lot of evidence that the lower you can get it, the better,” he says.
The guidance, an update to 2016 advice, says to reassess total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) every 4-6 weeks after starting or intensifying treatment.
