DYNAMICS OF TOTAL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND ITS EFFECT ON MORTALITY IN PEOPLE OVER AGE 65 NOT RECEIVING LIPID-LOWERING THERAPY

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases is the leading cause of death and disability in the old people. High total cholesterol level is a proven risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and mortality in the middle-aged persons. Importance of lipid-modifying therapy in the elderly remains controversial. Many foreign researchers have noted a decrease in total cholesterol in old people, which was not associated with lipid-lowering drugs or hypolipidemic diet. Objective: describe the total cholesterol level dynamic in persons over 65 years of old throughout the 4 years of observation; evaluate the impact of level of total cholesterol on mortality of these persons. Methods. The participants were selected randomly into two age groups, 65-74 years and 75 years and older from a database of policlinic № 95 of Kolpino district of St. Petersburg (149 and 115 patients). Examination of each participant included a twofold determination of total cholesterol during the first screening in 2009, and during the second screening in 2012. Results. The decrease of total cholesterol level was not associated with the change of nutrition, taking lipid-lowering medications, changes in body weight or level of physical activity. Changes of total cholesterol level were dependent on its level at the beginning of the study. In individuals with an optimal level of total cholesterol in the beginning of the study, we found significant increase in total cholesterol levels. In the group with borderline high cholesterol level we did not identified the change of total cholesterol levels. In the group of high total cholesterol level, we detected a statistically significant reduction in total cholesterol levels. The results show that the level of total cholesterol had no effect on mortality rate.