Updated for the first time in six years, clinical guidelines for screening and managing cholesterol now recommend earlier screenings — as young as 9 years old — for those with a family history of heart disease, among other standards of care. “Shifting the paradigm toward proactive prevention strategies earlier in life can meaningfully change the trajectory of cardiovascular disease and lead to better health outcomes for people decades later,” Johns Hopkins cardiologist Seth Martin, a member of the guideline writing committee, said in a statement. The guidelines include a new framework to help doctors calculate personalized risk assessments considering each patient’s underlying conditions. These can include a family history of congested arteries, arthritis, early menopause and several pregnancy-related issues like pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes.…