New guidelines for Indian heart patients

New guidelines for Indian heart patients

The Lipid Association of India (LAI) has updated its guidelines with on heart disease in Indians, ToI reported on February 24.

The fresh guidelines include new data on cardiovascular risk assessment and lipid management, the report said.

Under the new guidelines, patients have been categorised into different risk groups, Dr Raman Puri, a cardiologist and founder chairman of LAI, told the newspaper.

The guidelines suggest that individuals with metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) should aim for LDL cholesterol levels below 70mg/dL.

Furthermore, a new category called ‘Extreme Risk Group Category C’ has been introduced for a small number of patients who continue to experience chest pain despite all available treatments.

For individuals in this category, LDL cholesterol levels should ideally range between 10-15 mg/dL, as stated by Dr Vinod M Vijan, an interventional cardiologist.

LAI has been advocating for regular lipid profile screenings from the age of 20, and from the age of two for those with a family history of high cholesterol or premature coronary heart disease in men under 55 years and women under 65 years.

In cases of adopted children or families with elevated lipoprotein (a), lipid profile screenings should commence at the age of two, or as early as possible if not feasible, according to Dr Puri.

The new guidelines also recommend including lipoprotein (a) assessment in lipid profile tests for initial screening, as it is highly prevalent among 25 percent of Indians.

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