Criteria of the National Lipid Association (NLA) for LDL Apheresis for a Patient with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)

LDL apheresis is considered when both of the following are present:

(1) the patient fails to achieve an adequate response after >= 6 months of maximum tolerated drug therapy

(2) the patient shows certain patterns of laboratory and clinical findings

Parameters:

(1) type of FH

(2) serum cholesterol concentration

(3) risk factors (elevated blood pressure, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet)

Very high risk factors:

(1) established coronary artery disease

(2) other established vascular disease

(3) diabetes

where:

• A high lipoprotein(a) concentration is >= 50 mg/dL using an isoform insensitive assay.