New clinical guidelines for cholesterol treatment could be a good thing for both physicians and patients, so long as they are used properly.

Unveiled last month at the American Heart Association’s 2018 meeting, the guidelinesare intended to help physicians navigate the treatment of patients with high LDL cholesterol. They aren’t perfect, as guidelines seldom are. For instance, only one patient participated on the committee responsible for the new guidelines, even though the guidelines will impact the lives of thousands of patients.