Purpose of review: To review the recent findings on evaluation and management of dyslipidemia in childhood and adolescence, giving a critical view on new therapeutic approaches.
Recent findings: In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics released an updated policy statement recommending more frequent screening to detect dyslipidemia in childhood and the first-line use of statins in children with dyslipidemia who did not respond to lifestyle intervention and who were more than 8 years of age. These recommendations have caused a lot of controversy within the medical community and media. This debate is also sharpened by the fact that only few trials have investigated the long-term efficacy of statins on prevention of adult cardiovascular disease, their application in dyslipidemias other than familial hypercholesterolemia and the use of new pharmacological tools.
Summary: The purpose of our paper could not be achieved clearly without a review of the physiology of cholesterol metabolism together with an analysis of causes of primary and secondary dyslipidemia affecting children. Moreover, recent knowledge on lipid-lowering therapy is reviewed.