This indicator shows the percentage of adults who have had their blood cholesterol checked in the past two years.

High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. Studies show that the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. Every year more than a million people have heart attacks. In 2005, over 650,000 Americans died from heart disease. In addition, 25.1 million noninstitutionalized adults have been diagnosed with heart disease. High blood cholesterol does not cause symptoms, so it is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are. Lowering cholesterol levels lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of having a heart attack. Lowering high cholesterol levels is important for people of all ages, both men and women.