Getting insurance after genetic screening on familial hypercholesterolaemia; the need to educate both insurers and the public to increase adherence to national guidelines in the Netherlands
Open Access
- 1 February 2002
- journal article
- research article
- Published by BMJ in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
- Vol. 56 (2) , 145-147
- https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.56.2.145
Abstract
Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a common autosomal dominant inherited metabolic disease with a prevalence of 1 in 500 in most Western countries.1– 3 People with FH experience an increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) and excess mortality especially at a young age.4, 5 Until recently the diagnosis of FH was based on clinical signs and symptoms alone. These included increased cholesterol concentrations, in particular of LDL-cholesterol, in combination with the presence of tendon xanthoma, corneal arcus, xanthelasmata and a history of early CAD. Frequently FH was diagnosed after a first cardiac event.Keywords
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