About the Study: What is the global disease burden attributable to elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)? In 2023, high LDL-C caused 3.6 million deaths (6.0% of all deaths) and 90.7 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (3.2% of total DALYs). Despite declines of 45.6% in age-standardized mortality rates and 39.5% in DALY rates, the absolute LDL-C–related burden increased by 38.5% from 1990 to 2023, driven by population growth and aging, with notable regional disparities shifting toward middle-sociodemographic settings. Strategic approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat elevated LDL-C across populations globally are needed.

Corresponding Author: Christian Razo, PhD, Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98195. For interviews, contact the communications team at Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at University of Washington School of Medicine (ihmemedia@uw.edu).

10.1001/jama.2026.8628

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JAMA