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Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common genetic disorders of cholesterol metabolism. Individuals with FH present high cholesterol since birth, which accelerates the atherosclerosis process and increases the risk of premature cardiovascular disease. These individuals should therefore be identified at a young age in order to reduce their cardiovascular risk with healthy lifestyles and pharmacological treatment. There are 3 genes associated with FH: LDLR, APOB and PCSK9.
FH is a good example of the application of personalized medicine, since there are diagnostic methods for early identification, and effective treatment to reduce LDL-C values and cardiovascular risk. In Portugal, it is estimated that there are about 20 000 to 33 000 individuals with FH, according to a worldwide prevalence of 1:300-1:500.
The Portuguese Study of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (PFHS) is a research project at the national level, created in 1999 at the National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), and aims to identify the genetic cause of hypercholesterolemia in individuals with clinical criteria for FH. This is a research study, free of charge for the participants (index cases and family members) and for the health units that refer them, under a research protocol.