Prevalence and Predictors of Cholesterol Screening, Awareness, and Statin Treatment Among US Adults With Familial Hypercholesterolemia or Other Forms of Severe Dyslipidemia (1999–2014)
Authors' conclusion
Despite the high prevalence of cholesterol screening and awareness, only ≈50% of adults with FH are on statin therapy, with even fewer prescribed a high-intensity statin; young and uninsured patients are at the highest risk for lack of screening and for undertreatment.
Study context
- Population
- US adults (NHANES 1999–2014) with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) or severe dyslipidemiaweighted to 212 million US adults
- Participants
- 42,471 adults
- Exposure
- Definite/probable FH vs Severe dyslipidemia
- Outcome
- Prevalence of self-reported cholesterol screening, awareness and statin therapy
Methodological detailsNHANES 1999–2014, survey-weighted
- NHANES 1999–2014
- Survey-weighted
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
| Group | US prevalence | Statin use |
|---|---|---|
| Definite/probable FH | 0.47% (SE 0.03%) | 52.3% (SE 8.2%) |
| Severe dyslipidemia | 6.6% (SE 0.2%) | 37.6% (SE 1.2%) |
US prevalence
Definite/probable FH0.47% (SE 0.03%)
Severe dyslipidemia6.6% (SE 0.2%)
Statin use
Definite/probable FH52.3% (SE 8.2%)
Severe dyslipidemia37.6% (SE 1.2%)
- Cholesterol screening and awareness high in both groups
- >80%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Definite/probable FH | Severe dyslipidemia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-intensity statin among FH patients on statins | 30.3% | Not reported in the abstract | Severe dyslipidemia: not reported in the abstract |
| Trend in statin use 1999–2014 | |||
| Statin use over time | Not reported in the abstract | from 29.4% to 47.7% | Definite/probable FH: not reported in the abstract |
- Trend in statin use 1999–2014 — General population statin use over time
- from 5.7% to 17.6%
Trend in statin use 1999–2014
- Increase in severe dyslipidemia not faster than general population trend
Correlates of higher statin use
- Older age, health insurance, usual source of care, DM, hypertension and personal history of early atherosclerotic CVD associated with higher statin use
- Logistic regression
Original publication
Prevalence and Predictors of Cholesterol Screening, Awareness, and Statin Treatment Among US Adults With Familial Hypercholesterolemia or Other Forms of Severe Dyslipidemia (1999–2014). Circulation. Published 26 March 2018. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it