Cholesterol is like a friend stealing your money. There are no warning signs and you are put in a dangerous situation. Being somewhat aware of your friend’s financial status is important to your wealth. Reducing high cholesterol blood levels is more important to your health. High cholesterol levels increase your risk of heart disease and stroke according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here’re some High Cholesterol Facts from the CDC:
- 73.5 million adults (31.7%) have high low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol.
- Fewer than 1 out of every 3 adults (29.5%) with high LDL cholesterol has the condition under control.
- Less than half (48.1%) of adults with high LDL cholesterol are getting treatment to lower their levels.
High Cholesterol is a major threat to your health.
- People with high total cholesterol have approximately twice the risk for heart disease as people with ideal levels.
- Nearly 31 million adult Americans have a total cholesterol level greater than 240 mg/dl
30.7% of African-American Men and 33.6% of Black Females have high LDL cholesterol according to a report from the American Heart Association. Why is this important? Heart Disease and Stroke are the first and third leading causes of death among African Americans in 2013.
This podcast is part of a series of podcasts produced by the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Often called “the voice of CDC,” the MMWR series is the agency’s primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations.
Jay Harold’s goal is to help you create a broad base of knowledge on the diseases that affect African-Americans the most. Having this information readily available is important when you or a loved one is faced with a healthcare crisis.
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MMWR Cholesterol Check Podcast of 9/10/15
