Table 1.

Excerpt from the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits December 2006.⁸

Patients identified as being in one of the following very high risk categories may commence drug therapy with statins or fibrates at any cholesterol level:

• coronary heart disease which has become symptomatic
• cerebrovascular disease which has become symptomatic
• peripheral vascular disease which has become symptomatic
• diabetes mellitus with microalbuminuria (defined as urinary albumin excretion rate of >20ug/min or urinary albumin to creatinine ratio of >2.5 for males, >3.5 for females)
• diabetes mellitus in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients
• diabetes mellitus in patients aged 60 years or more
• family history of coronary heart disease which has become symptomatic before the age of 55 years in two or more first degree relatives
• family history of coronary heart disease which has become symptomatic before the age of 45 years in one or more first degree relatives

Other patients are required to meet the lipid levels shown in the following table:
Patient Category	Lipid Levels for PBS Subsidy
Patients with diabetes mellitus not otherwise included	TC >5.5 mmol/L
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients Patients with hypertension	TC >6.5 mmol/L or TC >5.5 mmol/L and HDL-C <1 mmol/L
Patients with HDL cholesterol <1 mmol/L	TC >6.5 mmol/L
Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia identified by: DNA mutation; or tendon xanthomas in the patient or their first or second degree relative	If aged 18 years or less at treatment initiation: LDL-C >4 mmol/L
Patients with: family history of coronary heart disease which has become symptomatic before the age of 60 years in one or more first degree relatives; or family history of coronary heart disease which has become symptomatic before the age of 50 years in one or more second degree relatives	If aged more than 18 years at treatment initiation: LDL-C >5 mmol/L or TC >6.5 mmol/L or TC >5.5 mmol/L and HDL-C <1 mmol/L
Patients not eligible under the above: men aged 35 to 75 years postmenopausal women aged up to 75 years	TC >7.5 mmol/L or TG >4 mmol/L
Patients not otherwise included	TC >9 mmol/L or TG >8 mmol/L