Quality standard

This quality standard covers identifying and managing familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in children, young people and adults. FH is a type of high cholesterol that runs in families and increases the risk of heart disease. The quality standard describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

It covers only heterozygous FH and not homozygous FH, which is rare and needs specialist care.

In November 2017, this quality standard was updated. The definitions and source guidance sections were amended to reflect the updated NICE guideline on familial hypercholesterolaemia: identification and management.

How to use NICE quality standards and how we develop them

Quality standards help you improve the quality of care you provide or commission. They apply in England and Wales (see the UK government website and Welsh government website). Decisions on how they apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland are made by ministers in the Scottish government and Northern Ireland Executive.

Find out how to use quality standards and how we develop them. We check our quality standards every August to make sure they are up to date.