Analysis of the lipid profile of elderly women in Curitiba - Parana.
BACKGROUND
Dyslipidemia is considered one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is more frequent in older individuals. However, evidence suggests that a large number of elderly individuals is not aware of their lipid profile status; additionally, many of them do not have access to adequate treatment.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the lipid profile and the frequency of lipid-lowering therapy use in elderly women from the city of Curitiba, state of Parana, Brazil.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 312 women (mean age = 68.8; SD = 6.0 years). The lipid profile was determined by plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). The number of subjects that reported being on lipid-lowering therapy was self-reported; therefore, the groups were divided into two subgroups, satisfactory and unsatisfactory.


RESULTS
A high prevalence of individuals with unsatisfactory levels of lipid profile components was observed in the group that self-reported not being on lipid-lowering therapy; of these, 74.2% of women with CVD presented levels above the LDL-C goal. On the other hand, 45.8 to 49.3% of the individuals from the group that self-reported being on lipid-lowering therapy had unsatisfactory values of TC, TG and LDL-C, and 25.4% had HDL-C levels lower than 40.0 mg/dl.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this investigation indicate a high prevalence of elderly women, regardless of self-reports of being on lipid-lowering therapy, with an unsatisfactory lipid profile, mainly related to LDL-C goal for those individuals with CVD.
University of Pittsburgh, PA, United States. maressakrause@hotmail.com
Maressa P
MP
Krause
Tatiane
T
Hallage
Cristiane Petra
CP
Miculis
Mirnaluci Paulino Ribeiro
MP
Gama
Sergio G da
SG
Silva
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides