Prevalence, awareness and treatment of hypercholesterolaemia in 32 populations: results from the WHO MONICA Project.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have been conducted to estimate the population prevalence of hypertension, or its diagnosis and treatment. There is no multinationally comparable information on the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia, or its diagnosis and treatment, since individual studies are often not directly comparable.


METHODS
Data from the WHO MONICA Project's final risk factor surveys were used. Data were collected using standardized methods between 1989 and 1997 for the 35-64 year age range in 32 populations, in 19 countries on 3 continents.


RESULTS
The prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol > or = 6.5 mmol/l or taking lipid-lowering drugs) varied across populations from 3% to 53% in men, and from 4% to 40% in women. Awareness of hypercholesterolaemia varied from 1% to 33% in men, and from 0% to 31% in women. In most populations, over 50% of men and women on lipid-lowering drugs had a cholesterol level < 6.5 mmol/l.


CONCLUSIONS
There is wide variation in the prevalence, awareness, and treatment of hypercholesterolaemia between populations. For the planning and implementation of primary prevention programmes and for the development of health care systems, monitoring of changes, both within and between populations, is essential. To obtain reliable information on these changes, well-standardized methods must be applied.
Tolonen
Hanna
H
Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Public Health Institute (KTL), Mannerheimintie 166, FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland. hanna.tolonen@ktl.fi
Keil
Ulrich
U
Ferrario
Marco
M
Evans
Alun
A
D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014944:World Health Organization
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol