PEDIATRIC DYSLIPIDEMIA

Course overview

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AMONG ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES. DYSLIPIDEMIA IS A WELL-ESTABLISHED RISK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS WHICH LEADS TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE DEVELOPMENT BEGINS EARLY IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE AND SUBSEQUENTLY LEADS TO PREMATURE ADVERSE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS. AS PER THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION EXAMINATION SURVEY (NHANES) DATA, 20% OF 12-19-YEAR-OLDS HAVE LIPID DISORDERS. IN CHILDREN WITH OBESITY, THE PREVALENCE OF DYSLIPIDEMIA IS EVEN HIGHER AT 42%. BECAUSE DYSLIPIDEMIA IS LARGELY A SILENT DISEASE, A SIGNIFICANT PEDIATRIC POPULATION REMAINS UNDIAGNOSED. WITH TIMELY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PEDIATRIC DYSLIPIDEMIA, THE RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS AND MORTALITY CAN BE REDUCED. FURTHERMORE, WITH RISING RATES OF PEDIATRIC OBESITY, DYSLIPIDEMIA IS AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT CHILDHOOD HEALTH ISSUE TO BE RECOGNIZED AND MANAGED. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE DEFINITIONS, ETIOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT OF PEDIATRIC DYSLIPIDEMIA AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THIS DISEASE.