title: Cardiovascular mortality attributable to high blood cholesterol in New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate mortality attributable to higher-than-optimal blood cholesterol in New Zealand in 1997, and the mortality burden that could be potentially avoided in 2011 if modest reductions in mean population blood cholesterol concentrations were achieved.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative risk assessment methodology was used to estimate the attributable and avoidable mortality due to higher-than-optimal total blood cholesterol (> 3.8 mmol/L). Disease outcomes assessed were deaths from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and ischaemic stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, higher-than-optimal blood cholesterol contributed to 4,721 deaths in New Zealand in 1997 (17% of all deaths). This included 4,096 IHD deaths (64%) and 625 ischaemic stroke deaths (38%). Modest reductions in mean population blood cholesterol concentrations (e.g. 0.1 mmol/L) could potentially prevent 300 deaths (261 IHD and 39 ischaemic stroke) each year from 2011.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher-than-optimal blood cholesterol concentrations are a leading cause of mortality in New Zealand. Modest reductions in blood cholesterol levels could have a major impact on population health within a decade.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Intelligence, Ministry of Health, Wellington, New Zealand. maria_turley@moh.govt.nz
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Turley
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tobias
authors.forename: Carlene M M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lawes
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stefanogiannis
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vander Hoorn
authors.forename: Cliona Ni
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Mhurchu
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodgers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control