Universal Versus Targeted Blood Cholesterol Screening Among Youth: The CARDIAC Project

Results indicate that the use of family history to determine the need for cholesterol screening in children would have (1) missed many with moderate dyslipidemia and (2) failed to detect a substantial number with likely genetic dyslipidemias that would require pharmacologic treatment. The use of universal cholesterol screening would identify all children with severe dyslipidemia, allowing for proper intervention and follow-up and leading to the prevention of future atherosclerotic disease.