LDL-cholesterol targets and lipid-lowering therapies – a plea to medical schemes and the Council for Medical Schemes

Authors

  • A D Marais Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5678-5714
  • D J Blom Division of Lipidology and Cape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
  • D M Blackhurst Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
  • F J Raal Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2026.v116i5.4971

Keywords:

Risk-adapted treatment

Abstract

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Author Biographies

  • A D Marais, Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

    Professor Emeritus, Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town Health Science Faculty

  • D J Blom, Division of Lipidology and Cape Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

    Professor,  Division of Lipidology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Health Science Faculty

  • D M Blackhurst, Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

    Senior scholar, Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town Health Science Faculty

  • F J Raal, Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Professor Emeritus, Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand

References

1. Marais AD, Blom DJ, Raal FJ. Management of hyperlipidaemia. S Afr Med J 2024;114(4):e1016. https:// doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i4.1016

2. Mach F, Koskinas KC, Roeters van Lennep JE, et al. 2025 focused update of the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias. Eur Heart J 2025;46(42):4359-4378. https://doi. org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf190

3. Cuchel M, Raal FJ, Hegele RA, et al. 2023 update on European Atherosclerosis Society consensus statement on homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: New treatments and clinical guidance. Eur Heart J 2023;44(25):2277-2291. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad197

4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Evolocumab for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia and mixed dyslipidaemia. Technology appraisal guidance TA394. Manchester: NICE, 22 June 2016. https://nice.org.uk/guidance/ta394 (accessed 19 May 2026).

5. Marais AD. Discriminating dyslipidemias – a South African perspective. Rare Dis Orphan Drugs J 2025;4:23. https://doi.org/10.20517/rdodj.2025.17

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Published

2026-06-02

Issue

SAMJ Vol. 116 No. 5

Section

Correspondence

License

Copyright (c) 2026 A D Marais, D J Blom, D M Blackhurst, F J Raal

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How to Cite

1.
Marais AD, Blom DJ, Blackhurst DM, Raal FJ. LDL-cholesterol targets and lipid-lowering therapies – a plea to medical schemes and the Council for Medical Schemes. S Afr Med J [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 2 [cited 2026 Jun. 3];116(5):e4971. Available from: https://www.samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/4971