Screening for familial hypercholesterolemia after ACS pays off

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) show an at least two-fold higher risk of a recurrent coronary event within the first year after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) than patients who experienced an ACS but who do not have FH. This increased risk was seen despite widespread use of high-dose statins. This implies that it is worth screening for FH in patients who suffered from an ACS. Getting the diagnosis is not only relevant for the patient, because of the increased risk, but also for the family of a patient who receives an FH diagnosis. The pedigree of the patient should also be counselled and treated.

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