I want to share eight thoughts about cholesterol management for adults especially if they have FH and I hope these are helpful to you.

• Keeping fit, and eating a healthy diet, are the first steps in a heart healthy lifestyle. 
• Treatment can be either straightforward or very complicated – but every case is individual – not one size fits all.
• At some stage in their journey cholesterol lowering medication will be needed for most FH patients.  Long-term medication can significantly reduce the risk of early heart disease and stroke.
• The aim is to reduce the LDL (bad) cholesterol initially by 50 % where possible.  Statins remain the medication of choice to lower cholesterol in adult patients with FH.
• Unfortunately, ‘bad press’ around statins, has caused many people to have barriers to using them.  It is our role as health professionals to identify and then discuss any barriers the patients may have.
• Patient compliance with medication is paramount to effective treatment.  Having the patient fully committed to a positive outcome is the key to successful prescribing.
• As health professionals we base our decisions on assumed compliance and if the patient is not actually compliant then they are setting themselves up to fail.
• Please ensure your patient is aware that you will hear what they have to say and you are open to working with them.  The ultimate goal in treatment is reducing the risk associated with lifetime exposure to severe LDL cholesterol elevation.

I hope you find these ideas on treatment useful. 
Patient centred care in a collaborative arrangement with them can save lives!