Screening and treating adults for lipid disorders

Context: Screening and treatment of lipid disorders in people at high risk for future coronary heart disease (CHD) events has gained wide acceptance, especially for patients with known CHD, but the proper role in people with low to medium risk is controversial. Objective: To examine the evidence about the benefits and harms of screenin g and treatment of lipid disorders in adults without known cardiovascular d isease for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Data Sources: We identified English-language articles on drug therapy, diet and exercise therapy, and screening for lipid disorders from comprehensive searches of the MEDLINE database from 1994 through July 1999, We used publ ished systematic reviews, hand searching of relevant articles, the second G uide to Clinical Preventive Services, and extensive peer review to identify important older articles and to ensure completeness. Data Synthesis: There is strong, direct evidence that drug therapy reduces CHD events, CHD mortality, and possibly total mortality in middle-aged men (35 to 65 years) with abnormal lipids and a potential risk of CHD events gr eater than 1% to 2% per year. Indirect evidence suggests that drug therapy is also effective in other adults with similar levels of risk. The evidence is insufficient about benefits and harms of treating men younger than 35 y ears and women younger than 45 years who have abnormal lipids but no other risk factors for heart disease and low risk for CHD events (less than 1% pe r year). Trials of diet therapy for primary prevention have led to long-ter m reductions in cholesterol of 3% to 6% but have not demonstrated a reducti on in CHD events overall. Exercise programs that maintain or reduce body we ight can produce short-term reductions in total cholesterol of 3% to 6%, bu t longer-term results in unselected populations have found smaller or no ef fect. To identify accurately people with abnormal lipids, at least two meas urements: of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are required. The role of measuring triglycerides and the optimal screening in terval are unclear from the available evidence. Conclusions: On the basis of the effectiveness of treatment, the availabili ty of accurate and reliable tests, and the likelihood of identifying people with abnormal lipids and increased CHD risk, screening appears to be effec tive in middle-aged and older adults and in young adults with additional ca rdiovascular risk factors.