National Lipid Association Releases Official Scientific Statement on Genetic Testing in Dyslipidemia

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Lipid Association (NLA) today announced the release of its official scientific statement on the use of genetic testing in the diagnosis and management of patients with dyslipidemia. The statement provides insights and guidance for health care providers seeking to further their understanding of the benefits, risks and patient preferences of genetic testing.

"While next-generation DNA sequencing tests are becoming more accessible, interpretation of the results is often not straightforward.  Our statement offers a roadmap for care providers of patients with dyslipidemia who may require DNA testing to help confirm a diagnosis or guide therapy,” Stated the corresponding author and chair of the writing group, Robert A. Hegele, MD, Professor of Medicine at Western University in Ontario, Canada.

The statement delves into the importance of genetic counseling before and after genetic testing and outlines potential limitations of genetic testing in dyslipidemia. “We aim to help the practitioner maximize the value of DNA testing while minimizing the potential pitfalls that can be encountered,” Hegele explains. The manuscript concludes with a detailed table of recommendations to guide health care professionals in their treatment of patients with dyslipidemia.

“This is an excellent statement that provides needed consensus recommendations on genetic testing,” Commented National Lipid Association President, Joseph J. Saseen, PharmD, CLS, Professor of Clinical Pharmacy and Vice Chair of Clinical and Academic Programs for the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. “This document will help clinicians make more informed decisions regarding genetic testing in patients with certain lipid disorders.”

The manuscript, titled “Genetic Testing in Dyslipidemia: A Scientific Statement from the National Lipid Association” is in press with the Journal of Clinical Lipidology and can be accessed through the journal or at National Lipid Association’s website at www.lipid.org.

WRITING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Emily E. Brown, MGC, CGC, Amy C. Sturm, MS, CGC, Marina Cuchel, MD, PhD, Lynne T. Braun, PhD, FNLA, P. Barton Duell, MD, FNLA, James A. Underberg, MD, MS, FACP, FNLA, Terry A. Jacobson, MD, FNLA, Robert A. Hegele, MD, FRCPC, FACP

ABOUT THE NATIONAL LIPID ASSOCIATION
The NLA is a multidisciplinary specialty society focused on prevention of cardiovascular disease and other lipid-related disorders. The NLA’s mission is to enhance the practice of lipid management in clinical medicine, and one of its goals is to enhance efforts to reduce death and disability related to disorders of lipid metabolism in patients. Members include physicians (MDs and DOs) and other health care professionals from an array of disciplines including PhDs researchers, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, exercise physiologists, and dietitians.

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