When it comes to preventing heart disease, one of the most important factors is cholesterol and new international guidelines are rewriting how we think about it. Experts now say the focus should be on lifetime exposure to ldl cholesterol (the “Bad” cholesterol) and on lowering it earlier, for longer. That shift has led to a major update in global guidelines, including new risk calculators, lower target levels, and greater use of earlier screening and preventive medication in some patients. Joining Pat to explain what this means for patients in Ireland is Dr Roisin Colleran, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Mater Private Network.