Heart Disease In The News

Doctors fail to screen members of high-risk families
January 12, 2001

A recent article in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine documents that American doctors are failing to screen family members of patients with early coronary artery disease for elevated cholesterol and other risk factors.

Early coronary artery disease is often caused by a familial lipid disorder.  When a family member has early coronary artery disease, therefore, it is important for close family members to be screened, and for treatment to be initiated if elevated total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels are found. The need for such screening is emphasized by The National Cholesterol Education Program.

In this study, the medical records of over 5000 patients admitted for early coronary artery disease (patients less than 55 years of age).  In less than 20% of these records was the need for screening of family members mentioned. 

The authors conclude that U.S. doctors are not following the published recommendations regarding the screening of family members.

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