Executive Summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III)

THE THIRD REPORT OF THE EXpert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III, or ATP III) constitutes the National Cholesterol Education Program’s (NCEP’s) updated clinical guidelines for cholesterol testing and management. The full ATP III document is an evidencebased and extensively referenced report that provides the scientific rationa le for the recommendat ions contained in the executive summary. ATP III builds on previous ATP reports and expands the indications for intensive cholesterol-lowering therapy in clinical practice. It should be noted that these guidelines are intended to inform, not replace, the physician’s clinical judgment, which must ultimately determine the appropriate treatment for each individual.