492: Cholesterol Screening for Children: Dr. Nina Radford reviews National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommendations

healthylivingradio's Podcast

In this audio interview, Dr. Nina Radford, Director of Clinical Research and a cardiologist at Cooper Clinic, discusses cholesterol in children. Earlier this year, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the major pediatric associations put some new guidelines out in terms of screening cholesterol in children. The panel discusses two cholesterol screening recommendations for children.

1) The Universal Screen - consider screening cholesterol in all children, regardless of risk, sometime between 9- and 11 years of age, the age range when atherosclerosis actually starts to begin. The panel believes this is a good time to identify kids who may be from families of high risk; and it's a good time to influence children to adopt healthier habits.

2) Targeted Screen - any time, from ages 2- to 21, cholesterol might be screened if the child has any other risks for heart disease - obesity; diabetes; or high blood pressure. The child should also be screened if either parent had a stroke early in life.

Dr. Radford also talks about the treatment recommendations the NHLBI makes for children who have elevated cholesterol.