FH and Your Practice

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is common. This genetic disorder occurs in 1 in 300-500 people, and in founder populations prevalence can be 1 in 100.¹ A busy primary care clinician may have several patients with FH. There’s a good chance that you will encounter FH in your practice. It’s important to:

Recognize that people with FH have a high risk of CVD regardless of other risk factors.¹
Educate your patients on FH and communicate why it’s different.
Screen family members—first-degree relatives have a 50% chance of inheriting FH.⁴
Screen children with a family history of early CVD or dyslipidemia between the ages of 2 and 8 and conduct lipid screening on all children between the ages of 9 and 11.²
Know about GINA, a law that protects patients from discrimination based on genetic information.
Identify your local lipid specialist in case consultation or referral is needed.

Prepare Patients for Their FH Journey

Patients who receive an FH diagnosis should be supported throughout their journey. While FH is a common genetic disorder, it is largely unknown in many communities. Educating patients about the importance of family testing and empowering patients with resources they can share may help identify others with FH. In talking with FH families, physicians are encouraged to consider that:

Informing a family that they carry a genetic disorder is not easy.
Family members may be hesitant to follow through on screening.
Particular attention should be paid to addressing patients with children.

Pediatricians

If a family history suggests risk, you can help by following screening recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Find guidelines on screening children for FH

Primary Care Physicians

PCPs should understand the prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia, what puts a family at risk, and the role of inheritance in the disease, as well as the risks involved in not treating FH. PCPs should also be prepared to perform cascade screening.

The role of PCPs in FH

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FH and Your Practice