1 in 3 Americans Miss Cholesterol Goals, 75% Untreated
A new study reveals that a significant portion of U.S. adults are failing to meet updated 2026 cholesterol guidelines, with many high-risk patients remaining untreated. Researchers emphasize that millions of heart attacks and strokes could be prevented through better adherence to medication.
Why it matters
The findings highlight a major public health gap in cardiovascular disease prevention, suggesting that current medical management is insufficient to meet updated clinical standards.
A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham finds that nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults without heart disease - and almost 4 in 5 of those who have already had a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event - have LDL, or "bad" cholesterol levels, above the goals set by the newly released 2026 American cholesterol guidelines. Additionally, among adults without heart disease who were above target, about 3 in 4 of those individuals are not receiving any cholesterol-lowering medication. The results are published in JAMA .
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in