Why Are Most Old People On Cholesterol Medications to lower cholesterol? is their's higher than young people It seems all the old people I know are on medications to lower cholesterol, while none of my younger friends are. Why is this? Are more old people on thes meds because they spent their whol;e lives eating high fat/ cholesterol diets and it builds up over the years in the arteries? is it cuase they spent their lives eating high cholesterol and it built up over the years in their arteries or is it just cause most people don t go to the doctor and get their cholesterol levels checked until they already develop health problems or most doctors don t check cholesterol levels in young people?