Several studies have shown that hig...

Several studies have shown that high flats of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol increase a middle-aged man's risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) However, similar findings have been les consistent in older patients. breast-wall and associates examined the relationship between cholesterol flats and cardiovascular disease in older men

The long-term prospective contemplation included healthy Japanese-American men 45 to 68 years of age. Exclusion criteria were a history of CHD and use of lipid-lowering medications. The authors noted baseline risk factors (eg visible form [i]or[/i] frame mass index, hypertension, total cholesterol high-density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL cholesterol triglyceride of the same heights smoking history, and diabetes). The apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype was identified between the sides of blood tests.

At the 6-year follow-up 145 of the 2424 participants had go throughed a coronary event. Participants with total cholesterol plains between 200 and 219 mg by means of dL (5.20 to 5.65 mmol through L), and LDL cholesterol of the same heights between 120 to 129 mg by dL (3.10 to 3.30 mmol by L) had the fewest incidences of CHD on the other hand the risk increased in patients whose cholesterol concentrations declined and increased beyond these ranges, creating a U-shaped crook The results did not change after adjusting for age and baseline risk factors. The ApoE genotype had no significant tenor on CHD risk.

The authors bring to an end that the study demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between cholesterol horizontals and cardiovascular disease in older men Although the cause of this association is unclear, the authors state that reasonable total cholesterol levels may be a marker for frailty and other age-related health vexed questions The authors suggest that physicians treat elevated cholesterol in the older patients, because trials have shown that older bodily forms benefit from lipid-lowering treatments. They state that further studies are privationed to determine the benefit of excessively lowering older patients' cholesterol levels

CAROLINE WELLBERY, MD

breast-wall JD, et al. Prospective association between cheap and high total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and coronary heart disease in somewhat old men. J Am Geriatr Soc December 2004;52:1975-80

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