Evaluation of Dyslipidemias: The Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society guidelines, 2023

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, making its prevention, early detection, and treatment crucial. Dyslipidemia is a key risk factor for ASCVD that requires careful management in various clinical scenarios. 

The 2023 guidelines from the Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society highlight the evaluation of ASCVD risk, laboratory diagnosis of dyslipidemias, and the use of emerging lipid-lowering therapies. They also address lipid management in specific populations, including women, the elderly, and patients with conditions like familial hypercholesterolemia, acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Statin intolerance is also discussed.

• The guidelines recommend using HellenicSCORE II, a new ASCVD risk model based on data from the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS), for the Greek population. This model, available online, helps assess ASCVD risk, though it is not applicable for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or established ASCVD.
• Patients are classified into four ASCVD risk groups: very high, high, moderate, and low, based on specific characteristics such as coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, diabetes, and lipid levels.