Abstract

MERINO DE MENDEZ, Gisela. Manejo de las dislipidemias en niños y adolescentes. Arch Venez Puer Ped [online]. 2007, vol.70, n.4, pp.130-135. ISSN 0004-0649.

Recent evidence corroborate that cardiovascular disease begins in childhood and that hyperlipidemia is one of the main associated risk factors. Early screening of hypercholesterolemia in high risk children should be performed in order to prevent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adulthood. An approach for detection and management of hypercholesterolemia is proposed with dietary and therapeutic strategies based on the experience of expert groups. Since obesity is the most common cause of hyperlipidemia in children, special emphasis should be made in long lasting lifestyle changes. Treatment always must include dietary modifications and exercise. Several pharmacologic alternatives are available, and when deciding its use, the child´s risk must be individually analyzed, considering age, type and degree of dyslipidemia, and possible adverse effects. Since hypercholesterolemia is a modifiable and determinant risk in cardiovascular disease, all interventions done in childhood offer the opportunity of cardiovascular disease prevention in adulthood.

Keywords : Hyperlipidemia; hypercholesterolemia; children; adolescents.