High levels of low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol can increase a person's risk of cardiovascular disease.
People may worry more about their cholesterol levels when they age, but new
research suggests that they should take preventive action much earlier.
You may need to start monitoring your
cholesterol levels earlier in life to avoid cardiovascular disease, a new study
suggests.
A new study — the findings of
which appear in the journal Circulation —
suggests that people with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol early in life may
experience an increased lifetime risk of death related to cardiovascular
disease (CVD).
LDL cholesterol can increase
cardiovascular risk at high levels because it leads to lipid buildup in the
arteries, which can affect the blood flow to and from the heart.
In the new study, which was of an
observational nature, the scientists considered the links between LDL
cholesterol levels, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and the
risk of premature death related to CVD and coronary heart disease (CHD).
Specifically, the researchers wanted
to find out whether individuals currently considered at low risk of CVD or CHD
for the coming 10 years may benefit from learning about their cholesterol
levels earlier in life and keeping them in check so as to prevent the
development of complications.
"High cholesterol at younger ages means there will be a
greater burden of cardiovascular disease as these individuals age. This
research highlights the need to educate Americans of any age on the risks of
elevated cholesterol, and ways to keep cholesterol at a healthy level
throughout life."
Dr.
Robert Eckel, the former president of the American Heart Association (AHA)
Early LDL
cholesterol tied to death risk
While usually, studies about
cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk recruit participants who are at
moderate to high risk of developing cardiovascular conditions, the new research
focused on younger and mostly healthy individuals.
For this study, the researchers
recruited 36,375 participants — of which 72 percent were men — aged 42, on
average, via the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study. All the participants were
free of both diabetes and CVD at baseline, and the
investigators followed their health progression for a period of 27 years.
The researchers revealed that, for
people who were otherwise at low risk of CVD, high LDL levels were
independently associated with a heightened risk of CVD-related death.
Specifically,
when compared with participants with normal LDL levels (under 100 milligrams
per deciliter), those with high LDL levels (between 100–159 milligrams per
deciliter) had a 30–40 percent higher likelihood of experiencing premature
death due to CVD.
Also, compared with participants who
displayed normal LDL readings, those with LDL cholesterol levels of 160
milligrams per deciliter or higher had a 70–90 percent higher risk of
CVD-related death.
In total, within the study cohort,
there were 1,086 CVD-related deaths and 598 deaths related to CHD.
"Our study demonstrates that
having a low 10-year estimated cardiovascular disease risk does not eliminate
the risk posed by elevated LDL over the course of a lifetime," says lead
study author Dr. Shuaib Abdullah, from the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center in Dallas.
"Those
with low risk should pursue lifestyle interventions, such as diet and exercise,
to achieve LDLs levels as low as possible, preferably under 100 [milligrams per
deciliter]," Dr. Abdullah advises, adding, "Limiting saturated fat
intake, maintaining a healthy weight, discontinuing tobacco use, and increasing
aerobic exercise should apply to everyone."
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