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From mid-November, Luxembourg will introduce a new national screening programme for familial hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol levels from birth and can lead to early heart disease if untreated.
Health authorities estimate that one in 250 to 300 people in Luxembourg are affected by this hereditary disorder, which is unrelated to diet or weight. The Ministry of Health will begin inviting parents of 18-month-old children to have their child tested free of charge for the condition.
Parents will receive a letter of invitation from 17 November and can book an appointment via MyGuichet.lu for testing at a medical centre in Luxembourg City or Belval, with Ettelbruck to be added next year. Non-resident parents working in Luxembourg or whose children are cared for here can also request a test through the same platform, even if they do not receive an invitation.
Dr Marianne Becker, paediatrician and diabetologist at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), explained that familial hypercholesterolaemia is a common genetic condition that causes an excess of cholesterol in the blood, significantly increasing the risk of arteriosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. She emphasised that because there are usually no visible symptoms, many people only discover the illness after a serious cardiac event. Early detection and treatment, she noted, can prevent long-term damage and add up to 20 healthy years of life expectancy.
Her colleague, Dr Carine de Beaufort, also underlined that families often remain unaware of the problem until an unexpected collapse or medical emergency reveals it.
The programme's coordinator at the Health Directorate, Sandra-Lucile Lieser, explained that the test involves only a small finger prick, with results available within minutes. According to Lieser, parents will receive guidance depending on the outcome: if cholesterol levels are slightly elevated, they will be advised to consult a paediatrician. However, if the levels are significantly high, they will be referred directly to the CHL, Lieser explained.
Dr Becker added that the screening could also help identify other family members at risk, since the condition is autosomal dominant, meaning that if a child carries the gene, one of the parents will too. She noted that siblings can also be tested, and medication for affected children is authorised from the age of six.
Minister of Health and Social Security Martine Deprez described Luxembourg as being at the forefront of progress, noting that alongside Slovenia, it is the first country in Europe to implement such a large-scale national screening for this condition. She added that cost considerations are secondary, since early detection both saves lives and reduces future healthcare expenses.
Finally, families are reminded that beyond this specific campaign, older children and adults can always request a cholesterol blood test from their doctor at any time.
