Key result
Study evaluates the prevalence of US adults and ASCVD patients exceeding 2026 LDL-C guideline goals.
Why the study?
The proportion of US adults with LDL-C levels exceeding 2026 dyslipidemia guideline goals across risk categories and in those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was not well characterized.
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Captured external expert commentary on this paper, strongest first. Original sources are linked where available.
“But these are really two different problems requiring two different solutions. In people without heart disease, most who are above target aren't on any cholesterol-lowering medication at all, so the first step is simply starting treatment. Whereas in people who have already had a heart attack or stroke, most are already on a statin but still aren't reaching the goal. For them, the answer isn't starting therapy; it's intensifying it. That might mean a stronger statin, adding a non-statin medication, or considering newer therapies. Recognizing that difference is essential to closing this gap.”
Substantial LDL-C exceedance persists across US risk groups; leaves open whether targeted uptake strategies can close the 2026 gap.
This cross-sectional study examines the proportion of US adults whose low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels exceed 2026 guidelines across risk categories and among individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
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Abohashem et al. (2026) studied this question. The prevalence of LDL-C levels exceeding 2026 dyslipidemia guideline goals was evaluated among US adults across risk categories and in individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
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