title: Hypercholesterolemia in healthy adult males - A public survey in central Saudi Arabia.
abstract: To describe hypercholesterolemia in an urban community in Saudi Arabia, total serum cholesterol (TSC) was measured in 966 apparently healthy males (475 Saudi Arabs, 351 other Arabs and 140 non-Arabs) using a portable analyzer (Boehringer Model[R]). Mean age was 35.9 years (SD+/-9.1) and mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.2 kg/m(2) (SD+/-3.4) with a mean TSC of 5.20 mmol (SD+/-1.21). Mean TSC was significantly higher among non-Arabs at 5.74 mmol/L (SD+/-1.48) than in Saudi Arabs at 4.93 mmol/L (SD+/-1.11), P<0.001 mmol/L. TSC was higher than 5.20 mmol/L in 44.3% and higher than 6.80 mmol/L in 6.9% of the population. TSC was higher than 6.80 mmol/L in 3.6% of Saudi Arabs, 8.0% in other Arabs and 15.7% in the non-Arabs. This calls for cholesterol screening of the indigenous male population for hypercholesterolemia and other coronary heart disease risk factors at every opportunity. Among expatriate males, a mass screening strategy might be appropriate. The health care system needs appropriate adjustment to deal with this growing health problem.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Community Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mitwali
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al-Maatouq
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Wakeel
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alam