Statin use vs. average non-HDL cholesterol levels by country

The use of statins in the population. This is compared to average non-HDL cholesterol levels, in mmol/L. Statins are a type of drug that reduce non-HDL cholesterol levels, and are used to treat and prevent cardiovascular diseases in people at heightened risk. Their usage is measured in Defined Daily Doses, per 1,000 people.

Countries reporting
188
Highest
4.2
Malaysia
Lowest
2.5
Malawi
Median
3.3
Years covered
39
1980–2018
Data points
7,449

What the numbers show

Statin use vs. average non-HDL cholesterol levels is currently reported for 188 countries. The highest value is 4.2 in Malaysia; the lowest is 2.5 in Malawi.

The median across all reporting countries is 3.3, and the mean is 3.3.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.

Over the past decade 54 countries rose and 94 fell. The largest increase was in Guyana (up 11.4%), and the largest decrease in Qatar (down 16.7%).

Statin use vs. average non-HDL cholesterol levels: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Malaysia 4.2 2018 unchanged rising
2 Philippines 4 2018 up 8.1% rising
2 Thailand 4 2018 up 2.6% rising
4 Guyana 3.9 2018 up 11.4% rising
4 Lebanon 3.9 2018 down 2.5% flat
6 Brunei 3.8 2018 unchanged flat
6 Ecuador 3.8 2018 down 2.6% flat
6 Fiji 3.8 2018 down 2.6% flat
6 Mexico 3.8 2018 down 2.6% flat
6 Singapore 3.8 2018 unchanged falling
6 Tonga 3.8 2018 unchanged rising
12 Colombia 3.7 2018 down 2.6% flat
12 Costa Rica 3.7 2018 down 7.5% rising
12 France 3.7 2018 down 2.6% falling
12 Honduras 3.7 2018 down 5.1% rising
12 Croatia 3.7 2018 down 5.1% falling
12 Kuwait 3.7 2018 down 5.1% falling
12 Lithuania 3.7 2018 down 7.5% falling
12 Latvia 3.7 2018 down 7.5% falling
12 Myanmar 3.7 2018 up 5.7% rising
12 Mongolia 3.7 2018 up 5.7% flat
12 Mauritius 3.7 2018 unchanged falling
12 Panama 3.7 2018 down 2.6% flat
12 Solomon Islands 3.7 2018 up 2.8% rising
12 Serbia 3.7 2018 down 7.5% falling
12 Seychelles 3.7 2018 down 5.1% flat
12 Samoa 3.7 2018 unchanged flat
12 Cook Islands 3.7 2018 down 2.6% falling
30 Albania 3.6 2018 down 2.7% falling
30 Andorra 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Austria 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Bulgaria 3.6 2018 down 7.7% falling
30 Dominican Republic 3.6 2018 up 2.9% rising
30 Estonia 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Hungary 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Indonesia 3.6 2018 up 9.1% rising
30 Jamaica 3.6 2018 up 5.9% flat
30 Jordan 3.6 2018 down 5.3% flat
30 North Macedonia 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Montenegro 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Papua New Guinea 3.6 2018 unchanged rising
30 Portugal 3.6 2018 down 2.7% falling
30 Romania 3.6 2018 down 2.7% falling
30 Russia 3.6 2018 unchanged falling
30 Slovakia 3.6 2018 down 2.7% falling
30 Slovenia 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Ukraine 3.6 2018 down 5.3% falling
30 Uruguay 3.6 2018 unchanged falling
30 Uzbekistan 3.6 2018 up 9.1% flat
30 Vanuatu 3.6 2018 unchanged rising
52 United Arab Emirates 3.5 2018 down 5.4% falling
52 Antigua and Barbuda 3.5 2018 up 6.1% rising
52 Bahamas 3.5 2018 down 2.8% falling
52 Cyprus 3.5 2018 down 5.4% falling
52 Czechia 3.5 2018 down 5.4% falling
52 Dominica 3.5 2018 unchanged flat
52 Finland 3.5 2018 down 2.8% falling
52 Micronesia (country) 3.5 2018 unchanged flat
52 Greece 3.5 2018 down 2.8% falling
52 Grenada 3.5 2018 up 2.9% rising
52 Guatemala 3.5 2018 unchanged rising
52 Haiti 3.5 2018 up 2.9% rising
52 Iraq 3.5 2018 down 5.4% falling
52 Italy 3.5 2018 down 7.9% falling
52 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3.5 2018 up 2.9% rising
52 Saint Lucia 3.5 2018 up 6.1% rising
52 Maldives 3.5 2018 up 2.9% rising
52 Norway 3.5 2018 down 7.9% falling
52 Poland 3.5 2018 down 5.4% falling
52 Paraguay 3.5 2018 down 2.8% rising
52 El Salvador 3.5 2018 down 5.4% flat
52 Trinidad and Tobago 3.5 2018 unchanged flat
52 Vietnam 3.5 2018 up 9.4% rising
75 Argentina 3.4 2018 down 8.1% falling
75 Belize 3.4 2018 up 3.0% flat
75 Brazil 3.4 2018 down 5.6% falling
75 Switzerland 3.4 2018 down 10.5% falling
75 Chile 3.4 2018 down 8.1% falling
75 Germany 3.4 2018 down 10.5% falling
75 Israel 3.4 2018 down 5.6% falling
75 Japan 3.4 2018 down 2.9% flat
75 South Korea 3.4 2018 down 2.9% flat
75 Nicaragua 3.4 2018 unchanged flat
75 New Zealand 3.4 2018 down 10.5% falling
75 Oman 3.4 2018 down 8.1% flat
75 Peru 3.4 2018 down 2.9% falling
75 North Korea 3.4 2018 unchanged flat
75 Saudi Arabia 3.4 2018 unchanged flat
75 Sweden 3.4 2018 down 2.9% falling
75 Syria 3.4 2018 down 5.6% flat
75 Tuvalu 3.4 2018 down 8.1% flat
75 Yemen 3.4 2018 down 2.9% rising
75 Niue 3.4 2018 unchanged flat
95 Azerbaijan 3.3 2018 unchanged flat
95 Bahrain 3.3 2018 down 8.3% falling
95 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.3 2018 down 5.7% falling
95 Bolivia 3.3 2018 unchanged flat
95 Barbados 3.3 2018 up 3.1% flat
95 China 3.3 2018 unchanged rising
95 Cuba 3.3 2018 down 2.9% falling
95 Algeria 3.3 2018 down 5.7% flat
95 Egypt 3.3 2018 down 5.7% flat
95 Spain 3.3 2018 down 8.3% falling
95 United Kingdom 3.3 2018 down 10.8% falling
95 Ghana 3.3 2018 up 6.5% rising
95 Cambodia 3.3 2018 up 6.5% rising
95 Kiribati 3.3 2018 unchanged flat
95 Laos 3.3 2018 up 3.1% rising
95 Sri Lanka 3.3 2018 up 3.1% rising
95 Marshall Islands 3.3 2018 down 5.7% falling
95 Netherlands 3.3 2018 down 8.3% falling
95 Suriname 3.3 2018 down 2.9% falling
95 Turkmenistan 3.3 2018 unchanged flat
95 Turkey 3.3 2018 down 5.7% rising
95 United States 3.3 2018 down 5.7% falling
118 Armenia 3.2 2018 unchanged falling
118 Australia 3.2 2018 down 11.1% falling
118 Belarus 3.2 2018 down 11.1% falling
118 Canada 3.2 2018 down 8.6% falling
118 Denmark 3.2 2018 down 11.1% falling
118 India 3.2 2018 down 5.9% flat
118 Iran 3.2 2018 down 13.5% flat
118 Kyrgyzstan 3.2 2018 up 3.2% flat
118 Moldova 3.2 2018 down 5.9% falling
118 Nepal 3.2 2018 up 3.2% rising
118 Palau 3.2 2018 down 8.6% falling
118 East Timor 3.2 2018 up 3.2% rising
118 Tanzania 3.2 2018 up 6.7% rising
118 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3.2 2018 unchanged rising
118 Venezuela 3.2 2018 down 13.5% falling
134 Afghanistan 3.1 2018 unchanged flat
134 Belgium 3.1 2018 down 11.4% falling
134 Bangladesh 3.1 2018 unchanged rising
134 Georgia 3.1 2018 up 3.3% falling
134 Iceland 3.1 2018 down 13.9% falling
134 Kazakhstan 3.1 2018 unchanged falling
134 Libya 3.1 2018 down 6.1% falling
134 Nauru 3.1 2018 down 13.9% falling
134 Pakistan 3.1 2018 down 3.1% flat
134 Sudan 3.1 2018 up 6.9% rising
134 Somalia 3.1 2018 up 6.9% rising
134 Tunisia 3.1 2018 down 6.1% flat
146 Benin 3 2018 up 11.1% rising
146 Bhutan 3 2018 down 6.2% rising
146 Eritrea 3 2018 up 3.4% rising
146 Mozambique 3 2018 up 7.1% rising
146 Mauritania 3 2018 up 3.4% rising
146 Qatar 3 2018 down 16.7% falling
146 Tajikistan 3 2018 unchanged flat
146 South Africa 3 2018 down 6.2% flat
154 Cameroon 2.9 2018 up 3.6% rising
154 Comoros 2.9 2018 up 3.6% rising
154 Djibouti 2.9 2018 unchanged falling
154 Ethiopia 2.9 2018 up 7.4% rising
154 Guinea 2.9 2018 up 3.6% rising
154 Gambia 2.9 2018 unchanged rising
154 Madagascar 2.9 2018 up 7.4% rising
154 Mali 2.9 2018 up 7.4% rising
154 Senegal 2.9 2018 up 3.6% rising
163 Angola 2.8 2018 down 3.4% rising
163 Burundi 2.8 2018 up 7.7% rising
163 Central African Republic 2.8 2018 unchanged rising
163 Cote d'Ivoire 2.8 2018 unchanged rising
163 Democratic Republic of Congo 2.8 2018 unchanged rising
163 Congo 2.8 2018 down 3.4% flat
163 Cape Verde 2.8 2018 unchanged rising
163 Gabon 2.8 2018 down 6.7% flat
163 Guinea-Bissau 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Equatorial Guinea 2.8 2018 down 3.4% rising
163 Kenya 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Liberia 2.8 2018 unchanged rising
163 Morocco 2.8 2018 down 12.5% flat
163 Namibia 2.8 2018 unchanged rising
163 Niger 2.8 2018 up 7.7% rising
163 Sierra Leone 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Eswatini 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Chad 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Togo 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Uganda 2.8 2018 up 3.7% rising
163 Zimbabwe 2.8 2018 down 3.4% rising
184 Botswana 2.7 2018 down 3.6% rising
184 Sao Tome and Principe 2.7 2018 unchanged rising
184 Zambia 2.7 2018 unchanged flat
187 Burkina Faso 2.6 2018 up 4.0% rising
187 Nigeria 2.6 2018 up 4.0% rising
187 Rwanda 2.6 2018 up 4.0% rising
190 Lesotho 2.5 2018 unchanged rising
190 Malawi 2.5 2018 up 8.7% rising

About this data

Indicator
Statin use vs. average non-HDL cholesterol levels
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
191 places, 7,449 data points, 1980–2018
Last refreshed

The use of statins in the population. This is compared to average non-HDL cholesterol levels, in mmol/L. Statins are a type of drug that reduce non-HDL cholesterol levels, and are used to treat and prevent cardiovascular diseases in people at heightened risk. Their usage is measured in Defined Daily Doses, per 1,000 people.