National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) At-A-Glance: Quick Desk Reference

Print QualityTool

E-mail a Link

Description

This tool is designed to help clinicians implement the National Cholesterol Education Program's clinical guidelines for cholesterol testing and management. Based on the Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel or ATP III), the Quick Desk Reference outlines cholesterol management in a sequence of easy-to-follow steps. Steps include:

Step 1: Determine lipoprotein levels: obtain complete lipoprotein profile after 9- to 12-hour fast
Step 2: Identify presence of clinical atherosclerotic disease that confers high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) events (CHD risk equivalent)
Step 3: Determine presence of major risk factors (other than LDL)
Step 4: If 2+ risk factors (other than LDL) are present without CHD or CHD risk equivalent, assess 10-year (short-term) CHD risk
Step 5: Determine risk category
Step 6: Initiate therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) if LDL is above goal
Step 7: Consider adding drug therapy if LDL exceeds levels shown in Step 5 table
Step 8: Identify metabolic syndrome and treat, if present, after 3 months of TLC
Step 9: Treat elevated triglycerides

Links to the Tool:

This tool is available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atglance.htm
The PDF version of this tool is available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atglance.pdf (If you don't have the software to open this PDF, download free Adobe Acrobat Reader® software.)

Developer

National Cholesterol Education Program; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.)

Funding Sources

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.)

QualityTool Topic

Disease/Condition-Related; Guideline-Related; Prevention and Wellness

Links to National Guideline Clearinghouse or National Quality Measures Clearinghouse:

This tool is derived from the following guideline in the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC): (1)Third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). (2)Implications of recent clinical trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines:
http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15&doc_id=5503&string=

History

Release Date: 05/2001
Original Summary: 09/2004

Disclaimer: The inclusion of a tool in the Innovations Exchange does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or Westat of the tool or of the submitter or developer of the tool. Read more.

QualityTool Classification

Disease/Clinical Category:		Hypercholesterolemia
Setting of Care:		Home > Patient self-management
Patient Care Process:		Preventive Care Processes > Screening; Active Care Processes: Diagnosis and Treatment > Medication: ordering, transcription, administration, dispensing; Care Management Processes > Provider-provider communication; Patient-Focused Processes/Psychosocial Care > Improving patient self-management; Patient education; Provider-patient communication
IOM Domains of Quality:		Effectiveness; Patient-centeredness
QualityTool Format:		Workbook/Manual/Guide
QualityTool Topic:		Disease/Condition-Related; Guideline-Related; Prevention and Wellness
Developer:		National Cholesterol Education Program; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.)
Funding Sources:		National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.)

Last updated: July 28, 2009.