Genetic causes for high cholesterol are rare - study

MIAMI: Genetic mutations that can be blamed for unusually high cholesterol are far rarer than previously thought, existing in only about two percent of the population, researchers said Sunday.

Previous studies have suggested that as many as 25 percent of people with very high cholesterol -- defined as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels of 190 mg/dl or higher -- could blame their condition on their genes.