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Considering statins for cholesterol-reduction in children if lifestyle and diet changes do not improve their health: a review of the risks and benefits.
O'Gorman, Clodagh S M O'Neill, Michael B Conwell, Louise S
O'Gorman, Clodagh S M
O'Neill, Michael B
Conwell, Louise S
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Date
2010-12
Date Submitted
Keywords
Other Subjects
Subject Mesh
Adolescent
Biological Markers
Child
Cholesterol
Diet
Exercise
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Hyperlipidemias
Patient Selection
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Risk Reduction Behavior
Treatment Outcome
Biological Markers
Child
Cholesterol
Diet
Exercise
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Hyperlipidemias
Patient Selection
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Risk Reduction Behavior
Treatment Outcome
Planned Date
Start Date
Collaborators
Principal Investigators
Files
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21339908.pdf
Adobe PDF, 287.64 KB
Alternative Titles
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Abstract
Children who appear healthy, even if they have one or more recognized cardiovascular risk factors, do not generally have outcomes of cardiovascular or other vascular disease during childhood. Historically, pediatric medicine has not aggressively screened for or treated cardiovascular risk factors in otherwise healthy children. However, studies such as the P-Day Study (Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth), and the Bogalusa Heart Study, indicate that healthy children at remarkably young ages can have evidence of significant atherosclerosis. With the increasing prevalence of pediatric obesity, can we expect more health problems related to the consequences of pediatric dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and atherosclerosis in the future? For many years, medications have been available and used in adult populations to treat dyslipidemia. In recent years, reports of short-term safety of some of these medications in children have been published. However, none of these studies have detailed long-term follow-up, and therefore none have described potential late side-effects of early cholesterol-lowering therapy, or potential benefits in terms of reduction of or delay in cardiovascular or other vascular end-points. In 2007, the American Heart Association published a scientific statement on the use of cholesterol-lowering therapy in pediatric patients. In this review paper, we discuss some of the current literature on cholesterol-lowering therapy in children, including the statins that are currently available for use in children, and some of the cautions with using these and other cholesterol-lowering medications. A central tenet of this review is that medications are not a substitute for dietary and lifestyle interventions, and that even in children on cholesterol-lowering medications, physicians should take every opportunity to encourage children and their parents to make healthy diet and lifestyle choices.
Language
en
ISSN
1178-2048
eISSN
ISBN
DOI
10.2147/VHRM.S7356
PMID
21339908