Press release
European Atherosclerosis Society issues Global Call to Action on harmonizing lipid clinics
Lipid clinic networks are key to preventing cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally.1 However, more needs to be done to ensure uniform delivery of guideline-recommended care. This Call to Action statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Lipid Clinic Network, involving over 500 lipid clinics in 55 countries, provides guidance on how best to harmonize patient management.2
The EAS Lipid Clinic Network initiative was established to provide a network of lipid clinics and specialty healthcare professionals working to consistent standards for the diagnosis and management of lipid disorders.3 The 2024 EAS Lipid Clinics Network survey including data from 44 countries across six continents highlighted the need for improvement.
Lead author Christian Bork (Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark) said: ‘We identified major differences between clinics, nationally and internationally, in the delivery of guideline-recommended patient care. While almost all clinics followed guidelines, there were issues with implementation, especially for diagnostic testing, treatment and follow-up. We have excellent evidence-based guidelines on dyslipidemia and developing more guidelines is not the answer. Instead, we need to focus on how we organize and operate lipid clinic networks to ensure harmonized patient care, adapting to the realities of access and funding across different regions.’ EAS President Borge G. Nordestgaard (Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark) added: ‘Harmonization is crucial to ensure optimal patient care, and ultimately to reduce the burden of preventable cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.’
This latest EAS Consensus initiative provides guidance for the standards and metrics needed to establish and maintain a well-harmonized national lipid clinic network in most countries worldwide. With over three-quarters of deaths due to cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries,2 this EAS guidance gives pragmatic recommendations, including the need for clinician networks to ensure early patient referral in these regions.
The guidance considers all aspects relating to harmonization, from diagnosis and treatment, staffing and multidisciplinary collaboration, to research and education, and funding. ‘Education is the key to address the gap between guideline recommendations and real-world implementation,’ commented Dr Bork.
Professor Nordestgaard concluded: ‘This new EAS guidance is the first step to ensuring harmonization of lipid clinic networks across all countries. Now we need to implement this advice. Planned EAS activities include international and national webinars in all participating countries of the EAS Lipid Clinic Network, as well as preceptorship courses to train key opinion leaders involved in running lipid clinics. Ultimately, these strategies will strengthen clinical practice, consistent with the EAS mission to support high-quality, equitable care for patients with lipid disorders, globally.’
References
1. Bork C, Nordestgaard BG, Hedegaard BS, et al. Lipid clinics worldwide: harmonization and guidance on how to optimally organize and fund. European Atherosclerosis Society consensus statement across 55 countries and more than 500 lipid clinics. Atherosclerosis 2026; 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2026.120757
2. World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases. Fact Sheet 31 July 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)
3. Alieva AS, Tokgözoğlu L, Ray KK, Catapano AL. Lipid Clinics Network. Rationale and design of the EAS global project. Atherosclerosis 2020;42:e6-e8.
About the Lipid Clinics Network
The EAS Lipid Clinic Network (EAS-LCN) is an international collaborative network that brings together lipid clinics and specialty healthcare professionals involved in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of lipid disorders. The network aims to support high-quality, equitable care for patients with lipid disorders, globally, through harmonization, education, and knowledge exchange. For further information: https://eas-society.org/collaborations/lcn/