Expert panel of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has recommended that all children be screened for familial hyperlipidemic conditions once between ages 9-11 and again between 17-21.
Since most available research on treating hyperlipidemic to lessen vascular risk (primary prevention) was done on adults, this issue is still controversial as the risk-benefit ratio for treating children remains unknown. I do believe that the take home message remains that aggressive screening and treatment in patients with 2 risk factors (one of which is the hyperlipidemia) is of value, and that it is reasonable to start screening higher risk families at an early age.
POSTED BY STEVEN C. AJLUNI, MD
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