Story perspectives

New Heart Health Guidelines: Screen Cholesterol at Age 9

3/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released guidelines to start cholesterol screening at age 9 and every five years.
Adults should begin statin treatment in their 30s if lifestyle changes fail to lower high LDL.
A new PREVENT risk calculator will help assess individual heart disease risk more accurately.
The guidelines advocate lifelong management to prevent heart attacks and strokes, especially among younger U.S. populations.

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Story summary

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association released guidelines to start cholesterol screening at age 9 and every five years.
Adults should begin statin treatment in their 30s if lifestyle changes fail to lower high LDL.
A new PREVENT risk calculator will help assess individual heart disease risk more accurately.
The guidelines advocate lifelong management to prevent heart attacks and strokes, especially among younger U.S. populations.