Hypercholesterolemia in children.

During the last decade, major changes have occurred in the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of hypercholesterolemia in children. In 1993 the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Blood Cholesterol in Children and Adolescents recommended that selective screening for the diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia be implemented, and that diagnosed children be treated based on their low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and identified risk factors [1]. Following these recommendations, a plethora of studies examined the efficacy and safety of low fat diets in treating childhood hypercholesterolemia. In addition, drug therapy of childhood hypercholesterolemia was examined using approved and non-approved drugs. This review explores the rationale for the NCEP guidelines and current knowledge on dietary and drug treatment of pediatric hypercholesterolemia.