Does Heart Disease Run in Your Family?

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Familial hypercholesterolemia is not rare and high risk:

• 1 in 250 people have familial hypercholesterolemia; and
• 13x increased risk of coronary heart disease, if untreated.

Even with known risk, many are undertreated:

• More than 80% know they have high cholesterol, but …
  • only 52% use any statins, and
  • only 16% use high-intensity statins.

If you have familial hypercholesterolemia:

• Ask your dosctor about cholesterol-lowering medicines.
• Take your medicine as directed.
• Know that healthy lifestyle is important but often not enough.
• Check your cholesterol regularly.
• Talk to your family about getting tested for familial hypercholesterolemia.

Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Study: 1999-2014, Bucholz et al. Circulation 2018