TUESDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- High low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol remains common among U.S. adults, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Paul Muntner, Ph.D., from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues analyzed data from nationally representative samples of U.S. adults aged ≥20 years from six consecutive National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 1999 to 2000 (1,659 participants); 2001 to 2002 (1,897); 2003 to 2004 (1,698); 2005 to 2006 (1,692); 2007 to 2008 (2,044); and 2009 to 2010 (2,318). The authors sought to determine trends in the awareness, treatment, and control of high LDL cholesterol.
The researchers observed no change in the prevalence of high LDL cholesterol from 1999 to 2000 (37.2 percent) to 2009 to 2010 (37.8 percent). There was an increase in awareness of high LDL cholesterol, from 48.9 percent in 1999 to 2000 to 62.8 percent in 2003 to 2004, but no further increases were observed through 2009 to 2010 (61.5 percent). Treatment increased from 41.3 percent in 1999 to 2000 to 72.6 percent in 2007 to 2008 and decreased to 70.0 percent in 2009 to 2010 among individuals who were aware of having high LDL cholesterol. The percentage of treated patients with controlled LDL cholesterol increased from 45.0 percent in 1999 to 2000 to 65.3 percent in 2005 to 2006, and declined slightly to 63.6 percent in 2009 to 2010.
"Additional efforts are needed to prevent high LDL cholesterol and increase the awareness, treatment, and control of high LDL cholesterol among U.S. adults," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to Amgen, which supported the study.
Abstract
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