Ten percent of the U.S. population has hyperlipidemia. The most commonly encountered phenotypes include Type IIa, Type IIb and Type IV. Anion-exchange resins are the drugs of choice for hypercholesterolemia, while gemfibrozil is the preferred agent for massive hypertriglyceridemia. Clofibrate is the drug of choice for the rare Type III hyperlipidemia. Successful management begins with evaluation of the total clinical picture, including genetic factors, measurement of cholesterol and triglycerides, and visual examination of the serum.