This follows new guidelines set by the National Institute for ClinicalExcellence (NICE) to reduce premature deaths in people who haveinherited high cholesterol.
General practitioner and guideline development group chair, Dr RubinMinhas said, 'This guideline provides the NHS with a pragmatic andeffective blueprint for reducing tens of thousands of deaths frompremature heart disease.'
NICE recommends that children with two affected parents should be testedbefore the age of five for the inherited genetic mutation, those withone affected parent below the age of ten and, in extreme cases, childrenbelow the age of two should be screened.
Initially, children with more severe cases of FH will be given statinsto control the defect that results in abnormally high cholesterol frombirth.
In most instances, parents will be advised to alter a child's lifestyle,which includes a change in diet and increase in exercise.
FH is estimated to affect one in 500 people, making it as common as Type1 diabetes.
If undetected, FH can result in unnecessary illness and even coronaryheart disease.
For more information visitwww.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byID&o=12048.
