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The article reports on the lipid modification guidance to be released by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in May 2008 in Great Britain. This guidance is part of the institute's move to reverse its decision to introduce a risk score for cardiovascular disease. In addition, the guidance will recommend general practitioners (GPs) to assess cardiovascular risk using a version of Framingham modified for ethnicity and family history.

The article reports on the need for National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to revise its controversial lipid modification guidance after being accused of having a vague initial draft in Great Britain. Several cardiovascular bodies have criticized the institute for not setting a primary prevention target. In addition, it is also argued that the draft has included unstructured secondary prevention targets.

The article focuses on the industrial survey conducted by Pearl Medical Group in Great Britain. The survey revealed that 54% of general practitioners (GPs) are aiming for lipid targets as recommended in the controversial Joint British Societies' guidelines while 38% aimed for the quality framework targets of 5 and 3. It was also found that 32.9% of GPs refer to use diuretics while 33.2% for calcium channel blockers and 33.2% for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.

The article reports that the British Department of Health (DOH) has said that general practitioners' cholesterol targets will not be toughened up in the next round of quality and outcomes framework negotiations. The DOH stated that the national service framework has been sustained. A letter from professor Roger Boyle made clear that the national policy would not change until NICE releases its guidance on lipid management in December 2007.