High cholesterol: key points

 

• A high cholesterol level in the blood is a clinical risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke.
• The risk factors for high cholesterol include a fatty diet, lack of exercise, drinking alcohol to excess, inherited conditions, and getting older.
• Nearly 20% of the Scottish population aged 16-64 years have a high cholesterol level (greater than 6.5 mmol/l).
• A large proportion of these people do not attend their GP practice, or attend less frequently than once per year.
• The World Health Organization has estimated that worldwide about 8% of all deaths are attributable to a 'non-optimal' cholesterol level (mean cholesterol over 3.8 mmol/l) (Lawes et al, 2004). Applying this percentage to Scotland would give an estimate of around 4,500 deaths per year attributable to raised cholesterol levels.