Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), in its heterozygous form, is considered to be
the most common autosomal genetic disorder in humans, with a prevalence in the general
population of 0.4%, or 1 in 250.
1
Through genetic mutations in proteins ultimately involved in low-density lipoprotein
(LDL)–cholesterol production or regulation, FH results in a lifelong increase in LDL-cholesterol
concentrations, leading to a multifold increase in the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular
disease (ASCVD), particularly with premature onset. Statins are generally as effective
at LDL lowering in patients with FH as in the general ASCVD population, where their
benefits on ASCVD outcomes and mortality are firmly established. Despite the availability
of genetic testing and validated diagnostic algorithms, barely 10% of FH cases have
been identified worldwide.
2
As such, there remains an incredible opportunity to better identify (and manage)
patients with FH to prevent future events.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
- CCS position statement on familial hypercholesterolemia: 2018 update.Can J Cardiol. 2018; 34: 1553-1563
- Familial hypercholesterolaemia is underdiagnosed and undertreated in the general population: guidance for clinicians to prevent coronary heart disease: consensus statement of the European Atherosclerosis Society.Eur Heart J. 2013; 34 (3478-90a)
- Familial hypercholesterolemia among young adults with myocardial infarction.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019; 73: 2439-2450
- Estimating the prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia in acute coronary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Can J Cardiol. 2019; 35: 1322-1331
- A test in context: lipoprotein(a): diagnosis, prognosis, controversies, and emerging therapies.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017; 69: 692-711
- Simplified Canadian definition for familial hypercholesterolemia.Can J Cardiol. 2018; 34: 1210-1214
Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 05, 2019
Accepted:
July 15,
2019
Received:
July 15,
2019
Footnotes
See article by Kramer et al., pages 1322–1331 of this issue.
See page 1271 for disclosure information.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ScienceDirect
Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
- Estimating the Prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysisCanadian Journal of CardiologyVol. 35Issue 10
- PreviewHeterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common monogenic conditions but remains substantially underdiagnosed. One method for increasing the diagnosis is via opportunistic screening of individuals presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The prevalence of FH in the ACS population has been assessed in numerous studies using various diagnostic criteria, resulting in wide variability of prevalence estimates. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a more robust estimate.
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