Cholesterol complacency and undertreatment are synonymous with cardiovascular disease, an Australian report suggests, with almost half of high-risk patients failing to reach recommended LDL-C targets.

The report by Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and funded by Amgen analysed 10 years of data on almost 110,000 Australians with CVD.

It found that while 79% of participants were prescribed the recommended lipid lowering therapy, 48% of high-risk patients managed in primary care did not meet the recommended LDL-C targets.

Dubbed Code Red, the findings released last year demonstrate a systematic and stepped care approach is needed to reform cholesterol management. The modelling reveals more than 3,738 lives could be saved and more than 13,740 cardiovascular disease events prevented over the next five years, saving $66.6 million in healthcare costs.