US Trends in Cholesterol Screening, Lipid Levels, and Lipid-Lowering Medication Use in US Adults, 1999 to 2018

Background Understanding current trends in cholesterol screening, lipid levels, and lipid management therapies may inform health policy and practice. Methods and Results In 50 928 US adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants, trends were assessed in cholesterol screening, mean levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipid-lowering medication use from 1999 through 2018. Point estimates were also calculated using the 2017 to March 2020 prepandemic data set. The age- and sex-adjusted proportion of having cholesterol screened within 5 years increased from 63.2% (95% CI, 60.0-66.3) in 1999 to 2000 to 72.5% (95% CI, 69.5-75.3) in 2017 to 2018 (P<0.001 for linear trend). Mean total cholesterol decreased from 203.3 mg/dL (95% CI, 201.0-205.7) in 1999 to 2000 to 188.4 mg/dL in 2017 to 2018 (95% CI, 185.4-191.5) (P<0.001 for nonlinear trend). The mean triglyceride level decreased from 121.3 mg/dL (95% CI, 116.4-126.4) in 1999 to 2000 to 91.4 mg/dL (95% CI, 88.4-94.6) in 2017 to 2018 (P<0.001 for nonlinear trend). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased from 127.9 mg/dL (95% CI, 125.3-130.5) in 1999 to 2000 to 111.7 mg/dL (95% CI, 109.0-114.4) in 2017 to 2018 (P<0.001 for nonlinear trend). Among statin-eligible US adults, the proportion of statin use increased from 14.9% (95% CI, 12.2-17.9) in 1999 to 2000 to 27.8% (95% CI, 23.0-33.2) in 2017 to 2018 (P<0.001 for nonlinear trend). Statin use increased in adults with diabetes aged 40 to 75 years from 21.4% in 1999 to 2000 to 51.9% in 2017 to 2018 (P<0.001 for overall linear trend). Statin use plateaued in all other groups. The proportions of using ezetimibe and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors were 3.7% (95% CI, 1.3-9.8) and 0.03% (95% CI, 0.01-0.15) in 2017 to March 2020, respectively. Conclusions From 1999 through 2018, cholesterol screening increased while mean total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased, with a modest increase in statin use and low uptake of nonstatin therapy in the US population.