Clear explanations and information are important!

Nurse practitioners Stan Kolman, Annemiek Bogerd, and Ymke Broers work alongside internists at the vascular outpatient clinic at the Diakonessenhuis in Utrecht and Zeist to diagnose and treat familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).

LEEFH Center for quite some time now

The vascular outpatient clinic has been a LEEFH center for quite some time now. The hospital started this when the population screening program and the StOEH ended in 2013. During the StOEH period, the relationship between the Diakonessenhuis and the StOEH was already very close. Marcel van de Ree, an internist and vascular specialist, was already fully committed to family screening and treatment at that time. This intensive collaboration has continued with the LEEFH foundation. Everyone is very pleased with the development of regional LEEFH centers, which will continue the work of the StOEH.

If FH is detected in a family, Marcel van de Ree immediately involves the patient’s family. It is important to test the family members for the identified FH mutation as well. This is known as family screening. The Diakonessenhuis has been conducting this screening intensively for years. In practice, it has been shown that medication with a statin, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, or, if necessary, a PCSK-9 inhibitor, combined with a healthy lifestyle, is essential for the treatment of FH.

Stan: “In addition, clear explanations and education are important, because ultimately it’s a genetic issue.” “Involve people in assessing the risk”

Children

Annemiek and Stan are in complete agreement: with FH, you want to act early to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease at an early stage. This involves treatment, but also deciding when to test the children. For children with FH, it is important to focus on a healthy diet, sufficient exercise, and, above all, not to start smoking. Children can begin taking medication as early as age 8. If family testing at the Diakonessenhuis reveals that other children in the family also have FH, they are referred at a young age to a pediatrician with whom the team works closely.

Focus more on prevention

The vascular outpatient clinic places a strong emphasis on primary prevention and has been doing so with increasing intensity in recent years. “Helping people recognize the risks is very interesting,” says Annemiek. “If you make people aware of the risks and options, cardiovascular disease may be preventable. For example, we discuss with the patient the target cholesterol levels to aim for in their specific situation and how they can achieve them. Our goal for the coming years is to continue providing quality care and education and to help as many families with FH as possible.”

text: Aefke ten Hagen
photos: Stan Kolman, Ymke Broers, and Annemiek Bogerd