It's always interesting to learn how differently people deal with threatening news.
There are those who will meet it head on. Meanwhile, others – regardless of how severe the consequences might be for ignoring it – will act passively, giving the impression that the problem doesn't even exist. That's what we're learning today, particularly when it comes to adults at risk for serious heart problems.
Results of a nationwide survey released this morning by the American Heart Association reveal that 47 percent of "respondents with a known history of, or at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke, had not had their cholesterol checked within the past year."
That's a fairly sobering statement, given that nearly 95 million American adults have total cholesterol numbers above 200.
“Research suggests even modestly elevated cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease later in life, but these survey results show an alarming lack of communication between healthcare providers and those most at risk for cardiovascular disease,” states Mary Ann Bauman, M.D., a member of the AHA's cholesterol advisory group. “Current guidelines call for lifestyle modifications as a first line treatment, but that’s often not enough," she continued, according to a statement from the organization. "We also need to talk to patients about other risk factors, including genetics and family history, to determine the most effective course of treatment for each individual.”
The survey was conducted among those who either suffered a cardiac event, like a stroke or heart attack, or were identified to have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Those include diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Nearly 800 adults took part, and nearly half of them reported not monitoring their cholesterol levels in the previous 12 months. And it's hard to understand why they avoided doing so.
For instance, it's pretty safe to say that those plagued by significant money problems, in shaky financial health, would have a fairly good idea of their bank balance (or the cash equivalent) on a regular basis. So why would someone facing a very real health threat choose to ignore knowing their recent "cholesterol balance"?
The news is a product of the AHA's current awareness campaign called Check.Change.Control.Cholesterol, implemented to encourage those at risk to pay more attention to their condition. In addition to raising awareness, the program offers "guideline-based best practices to help providers and patients work together to identify cardiovascular health risks and agree on a treatment plan to improve health." For more on the C.C.C.C. program, click here.
As a matter of course, we here at the Council have closely monitored cholesterol screening rates and continue to encourage at-risk adults to have their levels checked. Here's one of our stories from 2013. And the reason is abundantly clear: heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
In addition to the survey's main finding, another eye-opener was that, "Patients with high cholesterol felt they were least informed about what should be their target body weight, the differences between the types of cholesterol (LDL vs HDL) and goals for cholesterol management."
We urge that anyone who is at risk for a heart-related problem, or has a reason to believe that they have elevated cholesterol levels, speak with a physician about establishing a plan of action.
