Improving Risk Stratification for Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)
Official title: Improving Risk Stratification in Familial Hypercholesterolemia (RISK-FH)
Funded at Geisinger Clinic · NIH-11379914 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-facing look at a study that aims to better predict who with familial hypercholesterolemia is at highest risk for early heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Geisinger Clinic NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Danville, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $722,234 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL159182-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379914 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with a diagnosis or suspicion of familial hypercholesterolemia and a need for improved risk assessment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without FH or those not affected by elevated ASCVD risk may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project will examine how genetic factors, cholesterol levels, and other health information come together to predict heart-disease risk in people with familial hypercholesterolemia. Researchers will analyze different FH subtypes and how they relate to future ASCVD risk, aiming to improve how we judge who needs more aggressive treatment. The study plans to integrate genetic data, lipoprotein(a) levels, family history, and existing health factors to refine risk estimates. Results could guide doctors in tailoring treatment decisions and communication about risk to patients. Participants may see findings that help personalize care and prevent early cardiovascular events.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to more precise risk predictions and personalized treatment plans for FH patients to prevent heart disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research supports that FH has subtypes and variable risk; this project seeks to refine risk prediction in a similar area.
Where this research is happening
-
Geisinger Clinic
Danville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oetjens, Matthew — Geisinger Clinic
- Study coordinator: Oetjens, Matthew
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using behavioral nudges to improve family screening for inherited high cholesterol
This project uses two patient-facing approaches based on behavioral economics to help people with familial hypercholesterolemia get their relatives screened for the condition.
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Nonviral CRISPR-Cas9 delivery to liver cells to treat familial hypercholesterolemia
A new approach uses nonviral methods to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 to liver cells and select edited cells with acetaminophen, aiming to permanently lower bad cholesterol in people with familial hypercholesterolemia.
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Implementing multi-component approaches to help blood donors with familial hypercholesterolemia(
A program to help people who donate blood and have familial hypercholesterolemia get the cholesterol-lowering treatment they need through a blood-donation center.
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Helping families find and treat inherited high cholesterol
This project tests a clinic-based program to help primary care doctors find and treat children and adults with inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia).
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Familial hypercholesterolemia: closing gaps in prevention of heart disease
A new NIH grant is exploring why people with familial hypercholesterolemia often go undiagnosed or receive uneven care, with the goal of improving early detection and prevention of heart disease.
-
Better heart-risk prediction for inherited high cholesterol
This project aims to give people with familial high cholesterol clearer, more personalized estimates of their future heart disease risk using genetic information, cholesterol measures, and other health factors.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.