Fighting High Cholesterol

High cholesterol itself is not a disease, but it can lead to disease. After all, every 40 seconds, an American adult dies from a heart attack, stroke, or related vascular disease. Despite being largely preventable, high cholesterol is a main risk factor in each of them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two in three Americans with high cholesterol do not have it under control, and that has serious consequences for patients and society. Nearly 44 percent of Americans are likely to face some form of cardiovascular disease by 2030, and the cost of the disease is projected to reach $818 billion by 2030.

Fortunately, advances in treating cardiovascular disease have helped cut the death rate by 31 percent in the last decade. In 2007, for the first time in 50 years, the average cholesterol level for American adults was within the ideal range, largely as a result of cholesterol-lowering medicine use by those over 60.

But a significant unmet medical need remains, as some patients are unable to sufficiently control their cholesterol levels. This unmet need underscores the importance of continued innovation and lifestyle changes to reduce the societal impact of heart disease, and to help patients live longer, healthier lives.

Learn more at www.fromhopetocures.org/heartdisease