Total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C levels decreased; proportion of eligible adults taking statins increased
TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of guidelines for lipid management in 2013 correlated with a reduction in mean total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, according to research published in the Nov. 19 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Nirav Patel, M.D., from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues examined trends in lipid and lipoprotein levels among 32,278 U.S. adults from the 2005 to 2006 and 2015 to 2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
The researchers found that from 2005 to 2006 through 2015 to 2016, there were declines in age-adjusted mean total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-C levels among U.S. adults. The age-adjusted mean total cholesterol among U.S. adults taking lipid-lowering medication declined from 206 mg/dL in 2005 to 2006 to 191 mg/dL in 2013 to 2014; an additional decline was seen to 187 mg/dL in 2015 to 2016. The corresponding declines in age-adjusted mean LDL-C were from 122 mg/dL to 107 and 101 mg/dL. The proportion of U.S. adults eligible for statin treatment by 2013 guidelines who reported being aware of high cholesterol levels increased from 63.6 percent in 2005 to 2006 to 69.4 percent in 2011 to 2012 and then remained unchanged through 2015 to 2016; the proportion taking a statin increased from 41.3 percent in 2005 to 2006 to 49.2 percent in 2015 to 2016.
“From a public health perspective, the 2013 guidelines have seemingly improved overall lipid and lipoprotein levels among U.S. adults on lipid-lowering medications,” the authors write.
One author disclosed financial ties to Amgen.
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