09 Feb Elevated Lipids In Young Adults Linked To Increased Future Risk Of Coronary Heart Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Ann Marie Navar-Boggan, MD PhD
Fellow, Cardiovascular Disease
Duke University School of Medicine
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: In this study of adults from the Framingham Offspring Study, we evaluated the impact of prolonged exposure to elevated cholesterol in early adulthood and future risk of coronary heart disease. In adults aged 55, the duration of time a person has been exposed to a non-HDL of >=160 mg/dL was associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, and that risk was above and beyond the risk conferred by lipid levels at age 55. Every 10 years spent with a non-HDL of 160 or above was associated with a 39% increased future risk of coronary heart disease. We also looked at the association between prior average blood cholesterol between the age of 35 and 55, and found that every 10 mg/dL increase in prior average cholesterol above 125 mg/dL was associated with a 33% increased risk of coronary heart disease. These findings were particularly notable because the vast majority of adults with prolonged exposure to hyperlipidemia would not have been identified by the guidelines for statin therapy.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Response: This study reinforces that it’s never too early to think about heart disease prevention. If we wait until our patients are in their 50’s or 60’s to think about risk factors like cholesterol, it may be too late. Many young adults have never been screened for high cholesterol, so this is the first place to start.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: We need to better understand the safety and effectiveness of statin therapy when started for high cholesterol earlier in life, and over a prolonged period of time.
Citation:
Hyperlipidemia in Young Adulthood Increases Long-Term Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
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MedicalResearch.com Interview with:, Ann Marie Navar-Boggan, MD PhD, Fellow, Cardiovascular Disease, & Duke University School of Medicine (2015). Elevated Lipids In Young Adults Linked To Increased Future Risk Of Coronary Heart Disease MedicalResearch.com
Last Updated on February 9, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD