July 10, 2008

Pediatricians Advised to Give Cholesterol Drugs to Younger Children

USA Today
July 10, 2008

Stephen Daniels, MD

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines this week recommending that children as young as 8 years old be given medication to lower cholesterol and prevent future heart problems.

Several news organizations interviewed Dr. Stephen Daniels, The Children's Hospital Pediatrician-in-Chief and a member of the AAP's Nutrition Committee, about the new recommendations. Daniels said heart disease can begin early in life, and research has shown anti-cholesterol drugs to be generally safe for children.

"If we are more aggressive about this in childhood, I think we can have an impact on what happens later in life ... and avoid some of these heart attacks and strokes in adulthood," he said.

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