Press Release

A new, 'next-generation' blood test that speeds up the time it takes to help diagnose heart attacks was recently cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Though the test has been used in other countries for seven years, it only became cleared for use in the U.S. on January 18, 2017.

Research has suggested that screening for an inherited genetic defect known as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) during routine immunization visits in early childhood could identify both children and parents at risk of premature coronary heart disease. This would be helpful as many people with this disorder are not diagnosed until they develop cardiovascular disease. The study was conducted in the United Kingdom and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently updated its 2008 guidelines on cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins. The recommendations were released in the November 15th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.