Cholesterol Awareness Month: Driving Further, Faster
October is Cholesterol Awareness Month. In this blog, Helen Williams, National Specialty Advisor for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, and Shahed Ahmad, National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, outline why managing cholesterol is key to reducing cardiovascular disease and the steps the NHS is taking to improve lipid management.
Why cholesterol?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, and a major driver of death, disability and health inequalities here in the UK.
High cholesterol was highlighted as a priority in the NHS Long Term Plan as one of the three ‘A-B-C’ conditions (atrial fibrillation, blood pressure and cholesterol) which are the major underlying risk factors for CVD.
It is well established that raised cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke – with a third of all ischaemic disease being associated with higher cholesterol levels.
In England, high cholesterol leads to over 7% of all deaths and affects up to 60% of adults.¹
The identification of people with, or at risk of developing, CVD is essential to allow timely intervention to reduce their cholesterol level and minimise their risk of heart attack or stroke.
