National Public Radio takes note of an interesting statistic - that despite the fact that obesity continues to be an enormous problem in the US, high cholesterol rates are on the decline, to 13.4 percent of US adults from 18.3 percent a decade ago.
That’s actually five points lower than the US government’s stated goal for 2010.
The reason? One major factor is the use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as Lipitor and Zocor - 264 million prescriptions for drugs like these were handed out last year alone. But lower smoking rates in the US also are said to be having an impact on cholesterol figures.
The public health impact of this shift is said to be enormous, since high cholesterol is said to double the chances of a heart attack.
That’s actually five points lower than the US government’s stated goal for 2010.
The reason? One major factor is the use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as Lipitor and Zocor - 264 million prescriptions for drugs like these were handed out last year alone. But lower smoking rates in the US also are said to be having an impact on cholesterol figures.
The public health impact of this shift is said to be enormous, since high cholesterol is said to double the chances of a heart attack.
- KC's View:
