FEBRUARY IS American Heart MONTH

Listen to “FEBRUARY IS American Heart MONTH” on Spreaker.


learn more about why Poorly managed high cholesterol is a significant public health threat

Nearly 62 million adult Americans have high cholesterol[i], and that number is growing. Of these, up to 34 million people are on standard treatment, which typically includes statins, on top of diet and exercise. However, 1 in 4 still aren’t able to control their cholesterol and continue to have elevated LDL-C levels[ii], putting them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease – the #1 cause of death in the U.S.[iii] In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects deaths from cardiovascular disease to increase by approximately 25% by 2030.[iv]

Additionally, up to 2 million people have genetically high cholesterol, also known as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), which is harder to manage and puts them at up to 20-times higher risk for developing early heart disease in their 30s, 40s and 50s.[v],[vi]

People who require additional LDL-C lowering on top of statin therapy represent a high-risk population, who may need to consider other options when their cholesterol remains high despite standard treatment. Fortunately, there are non-statin treatment options that may help people reach their LDL-C goals.

As we approach February, American Heart Month, it’s important for people to think about their long-term health and how they can take care of their heart. Working with a healthcare provider to keep your cholesterol in check and finding a treatment option that helps you reach and maintain your goals are important ways people can take care of their health.

Katherine Wilemon from the FH Foundation, who had a heart attack at age 39 due to undiagnosed and unmanaged FH, and Dr. Pamela Taub, an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of California San Diego, will be available to discuss the risks associated with poorly managed cholesterol, risk factors for FH and treatment approaches that can make a difference for people who struggle to reach their cholesterol goals.

Interview is courtesy: Esperion Therapeutics

[i] Wong ND, Young D, Zhao Y, et al. Prevalence of the American College of
Cardiology/American Heart Association statin eligibility groups, statin use, and low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol control in US adults using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2012. J Clin Lipidology. 2016;10:1109-1118.

[ii] ZS Associates primary and secondary research. (Sep-Oct 2019). Primary research N = 350 healthcare practitioners.

[iii] CDC. (2020). Leading Causes of Death. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm.

[iv] American Heart Association. (2020). 2020 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update Fact Sheet At-a-Glance. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/about-us/statistics/2020-heart-disease-and-stroke-ucm_505473.pdf?la=en.

[v] FH Foundation. (2020). How Common Is Familial Hypercholesterolemia? Retrieved from: https://thefhfoundation.org/common-familial-hypercholesterolemia#:~:text=Familial%20Hypercholesterolemia%20is%20a%20common,unaware%20that%20they%20have%20it.

[vi] Knowles JW, O’Brien EC, Greendale K, et al. Reducing the burden of disease and death from familial hypercholesterolemia: a call to action. Am Heart J. 2014;168(6):807-811. doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2014.09.001.