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A large study of 771,681 adults aged 18–39 found that young people with high LDL cholesterol rarely begin statin therapy, despite guideline recommendations, as published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Sessions. Among young adult members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California with LDL-C of 190 mg/dL or higher, just 28.4% started a statin drug within 1 year, and less than half (45.7%) had done so by 5 years. Young adults with LDL-C between 160–189 mg/dL who were also at high risk for premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease showed similar treatment gaps: only 25.3% initiated treatment within a year, increasing to 46.4% by 5 years.
What you don’t know: Overall, younger adults are far less likely than older adults to know their cholesterol numbers or receive follow-up testing and management to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. What’s interesting is that Food and Drug Administration-approved, at-home cholesterol tests are available from online sources, often for less than $50, which could encourage more young people to decide to test their LDL-C and become familiar with their numbers.