Getting Low in Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of lipidologists, cardiologists, pediatricians, and specialist clinicians who manage patients with persistently elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels due to heterozygous or homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).

Statement of Need/Program Overview

FH is marked by high levels of circulating LDL-C, leading to increased risk of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Patients frequently remain undiagnosed, resulting in poor outcomes and failure to diagnose family members. Clinicians should be aware of the diagnostic criteria as well as the importance of genetic testing. FH generally responds inadequately to traditional lipid-lowering therapies such as statins and often necessitates more effective biologic therapies. A multidisciplinary approach is needed in treating FH, and clinicians should be aware of recent discoveries in lipid genetics, currently endorsed diagnostic criteria, and recently approved and emerging agents to treat FH.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Describe the pathophysiology and genetic underpinnings of FH
• Diagnose FH based on clinical manifestations, genetic mutations, family screening results, and evaluation of medical records and claims data
• Discuss the clinical profiles and recent trial evidence for current targeted therapies for FH
• Tailor lipid-lowering therapy and multidisciplinary care for patients with FH according to disease subtype, severity, comorbidities, and treatment history

Faculty

Michael H. Davidson, MD, FACC, FACP, FNLA
Professor of Medicine
Director of the Lipid Clinic
The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois

Ann Liebeskind, MD, FAAP, FNLA
Lipidologist and Founder
Mobile Health Team
Neenah, Wisconsin

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The National Lipid Association and Integritas. The National Lipid Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Criteria for Success

A statement of credit will be available upon completion of an online evaluation/claimed credit form at the end of this activity. The deadline to claim credit is December 17, 2022.

For assistance regarding credit, please contact cme@lipid.org.

Physician Credit Designation Statement

NLA designates this Online Activity for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician Assistants

NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Disclosure Statement

It is the policy of NLA to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The faculty must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with commercial interests whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflict of interest is resolved by NLA prior to accreditation of the activity. NLA planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

The faculty have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

Michael H. Davidson, MD, FACC, FACP, FNLA: Nothing to disclose
Ann Liebeskind, MD, FAAP, FNLA: Nothing to disclose

The NLA and Integritas planners and managers have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Product

This educational activity may include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

This course is designed solely to provide the healthcare professional with information to assist in his/her practice and professional development and is not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The course serves as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore, cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. The NLA specifically disclaims responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through reader’s misunderstanding of content.

Permissions

The National Lipid Association acknowledges that permissions have been obtained for use of all copyrighted materials, including graphs, tables, pictures, and charts printed in this activity syllabus. Permissions have also been obtained from identifiable patients in photographs and other images, consistent with the DHHS HIPAA regulations for individual privacy.

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit for this activity, the participant must complete the preactivity questionnaire, score 75% or better on the posttest, and complete the program evaluation.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

System Requirements