New cholesterol guidelines and the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease - a commentary on epistemic aspects.

The recommendations contained in the 2013 cholesterol guidelines may be described as either with or without a direct empirical clinical trial basis. Recommendations without a direct empirical clinical trial basis tend to be controversial. Recommendations with and without a direct empirical clinical trial basis are mixed in the same text - while at the same time (rightfully) rejecting previous recommendations, also without a direct empirical clinical trial basis.