Cardiac Risk Classification Based on Lipid Screening
- Richard Belsey, MD;
- Daniel M. Baer, MD
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
Excerpt
The National Cholesterol Education Program, a consortium of public and private groups created by the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md, has advised all Americans to "know your cholesterol number" so they can take steps to reduce their risk of coronary artery disease. The recommendations of the Adult Treatment Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program is that total cholesterol levels of less than 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of less than 3.36 mmol/L (130 mg/dL) are "desirable," while levels of 6.21 mmol/L (240 mg/dL) and 4.13 mmol/L (160 mg/dL) or more, respectively, are "high," carrying with them an increased risk of coronary artery disease.1 Values that fall between these two limiting values are considered to be "borderline-high."
Given the important role of cholesterol testing in the prevention and management of coronary heart disease, the National Cholesterol Education Program regards it as important that clinical
