Wicked Good Cardiometabolic Chat: Addressing ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guideline Shifts

In Episode 10 of Wicked Good Cardiometabolic Chat, Jennifer Goldman, PharmD, CDCES, BC-ADM, FCCP, and Haley Choi, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES, delve into the 2026 ACC/AHA multi-society guideline on the management of dyslipidemia.

Described as a fundamental shift in philosophy rather than a simple update, this new framework moves beyond the 2018 cholesterol guidelines to focus on cumulative exposure reduction over a patient's lifespan.

The discussion centers on the “lower for longer” mantra, emphasizing earlier intervention is critical because atherogenic lipoproteins drive cardiovascular disease over decades.

A headline change includes the transition to the PREVENT risk calculator, which replaces older pooled cohort equations with primary prevention in adults aged 30 to 79. Notably, the guideline reintroduces concrete LDL and non-HDL cholesterol goals based on risk categories, such as an LDL target of <55 mg/dL for very high-risk secondary prevention.

The hosts also highlight the elevated role of biomarkers, specifically recommending universal one-time testing for lipoprotein(a) and expanded use of ApoB to identify residual risk. This episode serves as an essential roadmap for pharmacists and clinicians to move toward individualized, proactive prevention and structured lipid management.

To explore more insights from Goldman and Choi, check out this previous episode of Wicked Good Cardiometabolic Chat: Pharmacists’ Real-World Implementation of PCSK9 Inhibitors.

In Wicked Good Cardiometabolic Chat, a podcast offering from Drug Topics, Goldman and Choi aim to empower pharmacists with evidence-based insights into various cardiometabolic topics. All new episodes of Wicked Good Cardiometabolic Chat will be available in a video format via DrugTopics.com. Check out our most recent episode: The Treatment and Future Pipeline for Obesity Pharmacotherapy.

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