Cholesterol Management and Risk Reduction – Current Guidelines and Barriers to Goal Attainment

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, is predicted to result in 20 million deaths by 2015.1–4 Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common clinical manifestation of CVD.5,6 A major, modifiable risk factor for CVD is hypercholesterolaemia, particularly elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).7–13 Clinical trials with angiographic end-points have consistently shown that lowering cholesterol levels slows the progression of atherosclerotic lesions and reduces end-points such as myoc