There are still nine major misconceptions about hyperlipidemia among the public in China. For example, 64% of people believe that hyperlipidemia should have symptoms; nearly 90% of people do not know the amount of cholesterol they should consume daily; 48% of people believe that obesity is most closely related to hyperlipidemia; only 20% of people know that the most harmful of the lipid components is low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); a significant portion of people do not understand that patients with cardiovascular disease all need to take statin lipid-lowering drugs, without the need to consideration of lipid profiles. Due to factors such as urbanization and aging, China’s social environment has undergone drastic changes, which have brought about obvious changes in the lifestyle of our residents. For example, the China Health and Nutrition Survey showed that in 1989, China’s male residents consumed only 100 mg/d of cholesterol, and by 2009, it was approaching 300 mg/d; in the 15 years between 1978 and 1992, Beijing residents’ consumption of red meat, eggs and milk increased fivefold. During the same period, physical activity also declined significantly, with a 27.8% decrease in total physical activity for men and a 36.9% decrease for women in China over the 10-year period. These changes in factors have accelerated the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and pushed up the incidence of cardiovascular disease in China. One important risk factor is dyslipidemia, a study conducted by Professor Zhao Dong found that blood cholesterol levels in Beijing residents increased by 24% from 1984 to 1999, and this factor alone explains 77% of deaths from coronary heart disease. A total of 11,282 people participated in the web survey, most (61%) were young and middle-aged (30-50 years old), 49% had advanced degrees (college/university or higher), 31% lived in provincial capitals, 50% in cities and counties, and 18% in towns and rural areas. 75% had had their blood lipids checked, and 15.2% had cardiovascular disease. According to this survey, the China Cholesterol Education Program Project Team released nine misconceptions about hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease among Chinese residents, hoping that the majority of residents will acquire the correct knowledge of disease prevention. 1.Myth 1: People with hyperlipidemia have symptoms Under normal circumstances, people with hyperlipidemia have no obvious symptoms and abnormal signs. The diagnosis of hyperlipidemia is mainly made through blood biochemical tests. Only a small percentage of people with hyperlipidemia can see yellow tumors. 2.Myth 2: High triglycerides are the most harmful Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has the closest relationship with atherosclerosis and is the most harmful. Clinically, there are four commonly used lipid examination indicators, including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). Among these four indicators, LDL cholesterol is the most important, which can penetrate into the arterial blood vessel wall and open the process of atherosclerosis, thus causing various cardiovascular diseases, therefore, LDL cholesterol is also called “bad” cholesterol. 3, Myth 3: It’s okay to have high blood lipids. Hyperlipidemia is related to coronary heart disease and stroke. Many studies on cholesterol reduction and prevention of coronary heart disease have been conducted worldwide, and the results clearly show that a 1% reduction in plasma cholesterol can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease events by 2%. In recent years, the understanding of the relationship between high cholesterol and ischemic stroke has also been gaining momentum. Epidemiological studies and randomized clinical control studies have shown that as LDL-C levels decrease, the risk of ischemic stroke can also be reduced. In order to prevent the adverse effects caused by excessive dietary cholesterol, the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends that the daily intake of dietary cholesterol should not exceed 300 mg. In the case of hyperlipidemia, the daily intake should be strictly limited to no more than 200 mg. 5. Misconception 5: Hyperlipidemia can only be obtained by fat people In fact, hyperlipidemia is not exclusive to fat people, but also to many slim people. Many people with slim body types can also get it. Dietary lipids have an important influence on the level of lipoproteins in the body. In people who consume a lot of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, their blood cholesterol levels are 10% to 25% higher than those with lower intakes. 6, Myth 6: Only people with high blood lipids need to take cholesterol-lowering drugs Some people need to take statin lipid-lowering drugs even if their blood lipids are not high, such as those with atherosclerotic disease (including coronary heart disease and stroke) or certain diabetic patients. 7, Myth 7: People with hyperlipidemia do not need to take medication if their blood lipids are normal Lipid-lowering drugs also need to be taken consistently, and once they are stopped, their blood lipids will rise again, affecting the effectiveness of treatment. After the lipid standard is reached, most patients still need to take the original dose continuously. Patients without coronary heart disease or stroke and other diseases can gradually reduce the dose under the guidance of the doctor and find the lowest effective dose and take it for a long time, which can reduce the side effects. 8, misconception eight: fish oil can be used to lower blood lipids fish oil has almost no cholesterol-lowering effect, and no evidence of reducing cardiovascular events. And the recent medical research of more than two decades found that statins are the strongest drugs to inhibit cholesterol synthesis, statins can block cholesterol synthesis and can reduce LDL-C by 25% to 55%. Great significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. 9, Myth 9: The biggest side effect of statins is liver damage Statins can be used safely in the majority of patients. Statins rarely cause liver disease. In some patients, statins can cause a mild increase in transaminase levels, which is not a sign of hepatotoxicity and usually recovers when the drug is stopped. Rarely, statins can cause muscle tissue damage characterized by elevated creatine kinase. In patients taking statins, some patients complain of muscle pain, weakness, or other related symptoms and may need to be switched to other treatments, including maximizing lifestyle or taking other lipid-lowering medications.