FOR APPs & PRIMARY CARE CLINICIANS
Cholesterol & cardiovascular prevention — Quick reference
First steps, urgent findings, referral guidance, and handoff essentials.
First steps
Identify primary versus secondary prevention, assess the lipid pattern and secondary causes, and use the appropriate PREVENT-ASCVD pathway.
Recognize the urgent patient
Acute ischemic symptoms use an acute pathway. Severe hypertriglyceridemia with suspected pancreatitis requires urgent assessment.
When to refer
Refer suspected FH, premature/recurrent ASCVD, above-goal LDL despite therapy, major intolerance, or complex hypertriglyceridemia.
What to send with the referral
Untreated/current lipids; Lp(a) if available; family/event history; drug doses and trials; relevant thyroid/renal/glycemic results.
Avoid this pitfall
A low short-term risk estimate does not override LDL-C >=190 or established ASCVD. Treatment goals vary by risk.
Reviewed October 11, 2026. This quick reference summarizes the linked guide; use the full guide for context and clinical references.