ACC/AHA Update Lipid, Cholesterol Management Guide

New guidelines consolidate evidence-based recommendations for managing dyslipidemias to lower heart attack and stroke risk.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 5:02am

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The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association, and nine other leading medical associations have issued an updated guideline for the management of dyslipidemia, which aims to provide a comprehensive 'one-stop shop' for assessing and treating various blood lipids to effectively lower an individual's risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Why it matters

The guideline focuses on earlier intervention through healthy lifestyle changes and the use of cholesterol-lowering medication when recommended, as well as lower LDL-C goals and percent reduction based on risk to reduce lifetime exposure to unhealthy lipids and the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The details

The guideline consolidates evidence-based recommendations for managing dyslipidemias, including the use of a newer cardiovascular disease risk calculator called PREVENT-ASCVD to better estimate 10- and 30-year risk of heart attack or stroke and guide lipid-lowering therapy. It also recommends the consideration of additional tests, such as coronary artery calcium scans and lipoprotein(a) measurements, to improve cardiovascular risk assessment and determine if more intensive LDL-C lowering and management of other risk factors is needed.

  • The guideline was jointly published on March 14, 2026 in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, and Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association.

The players

Roger Blumenthal, MD, FACC, FAHA

Chair of the guideline writing committee, director of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, and the Kenneth J. Pollin Professor of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Pamela B. Morris, MD, FACC, FAHA

Vice-chair of the guideline writing committee and the Paul V. Palmer chair of cardiovascular disease prevention and director of the Seinsheimer Cardiovascular Health Program at The Medical University of South Carolina.

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What they’re saying

“We know 80% or more of cardiovascular disease is preventable and elevated LDL cholesterol, sometimes referred to as 'bad' cholesterol, is a major part of that risk.”

— Roger Blumenthal, MD, FACC, FAHA, Chair of the guideline writing committee (Mirage News)

“Having healthy LDL-cholesterol levels or high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), traditionally thought of as 'good' cholesterol, isn't necessarily a 'get out of jail free' card. Measuring other biomarkers can give a more complete picture of someone's cardiovascular risk and help inform decisions about whether lipid-lowering therapy is needed sooner rather than later or if more intensive therapy is warranted.”

— Roger Blumenthal, MD, FACC, FAHA, Chair of the guideline writing committee (Mirage News)

“In general, lower LDL is better, especially for people at increased risk for a heart attack or stroke. Clinical trials have clearly demonstrated significant benefits for reduction in cardiovascular events when LDL-C levels are even lower than recommended in previous guidelines.”

— Pamela B. Morris, MD, FACC, FAHA, Vice-chair of the guideline writing committee (Mirage News)

What’s next

The new guideline was developed in collaboration with and is endorsed by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Association of Black Cardiologists, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Geriatrics Society, American Pharmacists Association, American Society for Preventive Cardiology, National Lipid Association and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.

The takeaway

The updated guidelines provide a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to managing dyslipidemia and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke through earlier intervention, more personalized risk assessment, and the use of both lifestyle changes and targeted medication when appropriate.