CDC: Adult cholesterol levels improving, but many untreated

The share of U.S. adults with high cholesterol declined 3.3 percentage points between 2007 and 2014, to 11%, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, about half of adults who should take cholesterol-lowering medications or make diet and exercise changes to lower their cholesterol do not, the agency estimates. “Nearly 800,000 people die in the U.S. each year from cardiovascular diseases – that’s one in every three deaths – and high cholesterol continues to be a major risk factor,” said Carla Mercado, a scientist in CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. “This study reveals opportunities to reduce existing disparities through targeted patient education and cholesterol management programs.”