Reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke during COVID-19 - Click here
High cholesterol is one of the most significant risk factors for CVD.
Why Focus on High Cholesterol?
Globally, a third of ischaemic heart disease is attributable to high cholesterol. It is estimated to account for 7.1% of deaths and 3.7% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYS) in England.
High cholesterol is characterised by the build-up of fatty deposits in arteries, so tends to increase as we age.
Raised cholesterol can also be caused by genetic conditions, where cholesterol is elevated from birth, such as Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH). FH affects approximately between 1 in 250 to 1 in 500 people in the UK including children. If untreated, about 50% of men and 30% of women with FH will develop coronary heart disease by the time they are 55.
Too many people are still living with undetected and poorly managed high cholesterol across Cheshire and Merseyside. Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England have agreed national ambitions for the detection and management of high cholesterol and Familial Hypercholesterolaemia over the next 10 years. C&M Health and Care Partnership has committed to acheiving these ambitions through a whole-system approach.
The cholesterol ambitions are:
By 2029: 75% of eligible people aged 40 to 74 without established CVD, such as a previous heart attack or stroke, have received a formal validated CVD risk assessment and cholesterol reading recorded on a primary care data system in the last 5 years
By 2029: 45% of people aged 40 to 74 without established CVD, such as a previous heart attack or stroke, identified as having a 20% or greater 10-year risk of developing CVD in primary care are treated with statins
By 2024: 25% of people with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) are diagnosed and treated optimally according to the NICE FH Guideline
The infographic to the right reflects national levels as at 2019.
The resources below have been collated to support partners across Cheshire and Merseyside to detect and optimally manage high cholesterol and FH.
For additional resources specific to cholesterol and FH during the COVID-19 pandemic CLICK HERE
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