High cholesterol is often treated as a number on a blood test, but new US guidance is urging doctors and patients to look at the bigger picture. The latest recommendations place greater emphasis on identifying and treating unhealthy blood fats earlier, with the goal of reducing a person’s lifelong risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems.
About one in four adults in the US is estimated to have high LDL cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol. When LDL and other harmful lipids remain elevated over time, they can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis.
