Managing Cholesterol: Assessment and Treatment

Course overview

Heart disease is the leading cause of death caused by chronic disease in American adults, and stroke is the fifth most common cause of death in that category (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020a). Elevated blood cholesterol causes no symptoms and contributes to the development of both conditions. Fortunately, it is easy to test for high cholesterol and the condition is highly treatable. This course describes interprofessional collaboration in the treatment of an adult with hyperlipidemia, or elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as they prepare for discharge from a hospital setting. The goal of this course is to update nurses, dietitians, pharmacy professionals, and social workers in acute care settings about the latest cholesterol treatment guidelines and provide an example of interprofessional collaboration for care of a patient with hyperlipidemia.