High Cholesterol

High cholesterol can cause fatty deposits to develop in the blood vessels. As these deposits grow, it makes it difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries, increasing patients’ risk of a heart attack and stroke. There are many different forms of high cholesterol, including:

Familial hypercholesterolemia. Familial hypercholesterolemia, also known as FH, is a genetic condition present at birth that affects the way the body processes cholesterol. The condition increases patients’ risk of heart disease and heart attack at a young age.
Lp(a). Lp(a) is a stickier type of LDL cholesterol that can build up in the walls of blood vessels. These deposits, called plaques, can cause blockages. The condition can lead to heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease.

Learn more about these conditions through PACH’s resources.

VIDEOS

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Angie's Struggle with Step Therapy

Angie Peterson was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia. Her doctor recommended one treatment that she responded well to—but her insurance forced her on another. Listen to her story.

Darin's Battle with High Cholesterol

Darin Burnham had a heart attack and was denied his doctor-prescribed medication to manage his condition. Hear his story.

Latrice's Journey with High Cholesterol

Latrice Baxter went in for routine heart screens and several hours later found herself on the operating table. Hear her story.

Rejected: Patients Denied Access to Life-Saving Heart Medicine

When it comes to high cholesterol, access to the right medication could be a matter of life or death.

Lp(a) 101

One-fourth of the world's population faces a cardiovascular risk that they've probably never heard of: Lp(a).

Pat's Story

Pat and her doctor worked together to find the best treatment option to help lower her cholesterol.

Lea's Story

Lea has struggled with statins in the past. But she's not giving up the fight to lower her cholesterol.

Sissy's Story

For generations, Sissy's family has dealt with high cholesterol. In this video, she shares her struggles with statins and explains why a patient-centered approach to high cholesterol treatment is necessary.

Patient-Centered Care for High Cholesterol

Managing high cholesterol isn't one-size-fits-all. If the first statin isn't right, patients and health care providers can work together to find the best treatment path.

Jeff - A Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) Story

Jeff’s story explains why it’s so important to support medical innovation - and access to new medicines that result from that innovation.

PAPERS & Letters

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Letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor/HHS/Appropriations

PACH wrote a letter urging CMS to support a uniform set of quality measures, including those specific to cholesterol testing or management, where significant disparities exist.

Rejected: How Life-Saving Heart Medication Eludes Women, Southerners & People of Color

Every 36 seconds, someone in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, responsible for one in every four adult fatalities.

Making sure patients can access medication that protects their hearts should be a top national health care priority. But recent insurance claims data for patients with high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease, paint a different picture.

For cholesterol-lowering PCSK9 inhibitors specifically, medication access remains a hurdle.

GRAPHICS

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