The “VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Dyslipidemia for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction” was developed by the US Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense and categorized as Affirmation of Value by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
The AAFP uses the category of “Affirmation of Value” to support clinical practice guidelines that provide valuable guidance, but do not meet our criteria for full endorsement. The primary reasons for not endorsing this guideline included:
*While risk-based recommendations allow for more patient-centered discussions and treatment decisions, many calculators used to assess risk include race/ethnicity as a factor. The AAFP recognizes that these calculators are limited by their reliance on race as a risk factor and issues a strong call for research for methods to accurately assess risk based on social determinants of health and racism instead of race. The AAFP opposes the use of race as a proxy for biology or genetics in clinical evaluation and management and the following policy opposing the inappropriate use of race in clinical decision making: https://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/racebased-medicine.html
These recommendations are provided only as assistance for physicians making clinical decisions regarding the care of their patients. As such, they cannot substitute for the individual judgment brought to each clinical situation by the patient's family physician. As with all clinical reference resources, they reflect the best understanding of the science of medicine at the time of publication, but they should be used with the clear understanding that continued research may result in new knowledge and recommendations. These recommendations are only one element in the complex process of improving the health of America. To be effective, the recommendations must be implemented.