PREVALENCE OF HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING IN ELDERLY HOMES IN CAIRO

Abstract

Of all age groups, men and women over 60 years of age have the highest prevalence of elevated serum cholesterol level (Denke and Grundy, 1990).

In comparison to other age group the risk of developing hypercholesterolemia increase with age by 2%• and 1% for each year increase in age for borderline high hypercholesterolemia and high hyper­ cholesterolemia (al-Nuaim et al., 1997).

This thesis aimed at studying the prevalence of lipid disorders particularly hypercholesterolemia m elderly people living in nursing homes in Cairo.

A cross sectional study on 125 elderly persons from 6 nursing homes in Cairo. The participants were subjected to comprehensive geriatric assessment and laboratory investigations including fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, HDL-C triglyceride and LDL-C.

The study showed that the prevalence of borderline hypercholesterolemia and high hypercholesterolemia was 24.8% and 14.4% respectively, and it was higher among participants with lower educational level m males. Hypercholesterolemia was associated positively with high LDL-C level and had no association with low HDL-C level.