Table 1.

Criteria for Hyper‐LDL‐cholesterolemia and LDL‐cholesterol Control in subjects as defined by the 2004 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines⁽²⁰⁰⁴⁾

Risk Category	Definition
	Hyper‐LDL‐Cholesterolemia	Controlled LDL‐C
High risk: CHD* or CHD risk equivalents*	LDL‐C ≥100 mg/dL (70 mg/dL*) or use of lipid‐lowering medications	LDL‐C <100 mg/dL (70 mg/dL*)
Moderate risk: CHD risk factors* ≥2	LDL‐C ≥130 mg/dL or use of lipid‐lowering medications	LDL‐C <130 mg/dL
Low risk: 0 to 1 CHD risk factors	LDL‐C ≥160 mg/dL or use of lipid‐lowering medications	LDL‐C <160 mg/dL

CHD indicates coronary heart disease; LDL‐C, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol.

^*CHD includes history of myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stable angina.

^*CHD risk equivalents include carotid artery disease (stroke), and diabetes.

^*Subjects in the category of very high risk: patients with history of acute myocardial infarction, CHD plus (1) diabetes, (2) severe and poorly controlled risk factors (especially continued cigarette smoking), (3) multiple CHD risk factors ≥2.

^*CHD risk factors include older age (≥55 years for women and ≥45 years for men), current cigarette smoking, hypertension, and low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C <40 mg/dL).