The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) has signed on as a supporting organization for the recently released 2018 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol. Development of the guideline was led by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in partnership with other organizations, including APhA. Joseph Saseen, PharmD, BCPS, APhA member and professor, vice chair at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, was APhA’s representative on the guideline writing group.

The guideline updates the 2013 guideline and emphasizes a more intensive approach to cholesterol management based on recent studies and expert consensus. 

“This guideline provides evidence-based guidance to assist pharmacists in providing care to patients with high blood cholesterol,” said APhA APhA CEO Thomas Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, ScD (Hon), FAPhA. “Pharmacists contribute to positive outcomes for patients with high cholesterol so it’s important that pharmacists’ perspectives were represented in the development of the guideline.”

The updated guideline calls for a more personalized assessment of risk for patients. In addition, it recommends new cholesterol lowering medications for those patients who are at the greatest risk and stresses a healthy diet and exercise as the primary intervention for patients who do not fall into these categories.