How the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline changes lipid clinic workflows with absolute LDL-C targets, non-sequential nonstatin selection, and universal screening.
The 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline restores absolute LDL-C targets (<55 mg/dL for very high-risk, <70 mg/dL for non-very-high-risk ASCVD) and eliminates the mandatory statin-first stepladder, allowing clinicians to add ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, or bempedoic acid in any order based on the LDL-C gap.
The 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline represents the most significant update to cholesterol management in a decade, shifting from percentage-based LDL-C reduction to absolute targets and eliminating the sequential nonstatin stepladder approach.
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2026 Dyslipidemia Guideline: Target-Driven Therapy and the End of the Nonstatin Stepladder
Study · PharmD Signal Reference Card
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