Implementation strategies for improving the care of familial hypercholesterolaemia from the International Atherosclerosis Society: next steps in implementation science and practice

Abstract

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is the most common monogenic condition associated with premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Early detection and initiation of cholesterol lowering therapy combined with lifestyle changes improves the prognosis of patients with FH significantly. The International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS) published a new guidance for implementing best practice in the care of FH. Previous guidelines and position statements seldom provided implementation recommendations. To address this, an implementation science approach was used to generate implementation strategies for the clinical recommendations made. This process entailed the generation by consensus of strong implementation recommendations according to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy. A total of 80 general and specific implementation recommendations were generated, addressing detection (screening, diagnosis, genetic testing and counselling) and management (risk stratification, treatment of adults or children with heterozygous or homozygous FH, therapy during pregnancy and use of apheresis) of patients with FH. We describe here the IAS guidance core implementation strategies to assist with the adoption of clinical recommendations into routine practice for at-risk patients and families worldwide. We summarise the IAS guidance core implementation strategies as operative statements.