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Cholesterol screening for women: who is "at-risk"?

Cheryl L Robbins1, Patricia M Dietz, Shanna Cox

  • 1Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, USA. ggf9@cdc.gov

Journal of Women'S Health (2002)
|April 30, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk definitions vary for women. Both the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and American Heart Association (AHA) identified high dyslipidemia prevalence, especially in older women.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • High cholesterol is a precursor to cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • Current guidelines recommend cholesterol screening for at-risk women.
  • Varying definitions of CVD risk impact dyslipidemia prevalence estimates in women.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the proportion of women without a prior dyslipidemia diagnosis who meet U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and American Heart Association (AHA) cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk criteria.
  • To report dyslipidemia prevalence stratified by age and CVD risk definition.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (n=1,781).
  • Analyzed a representative sample of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population.
  • Estimated proportions of women meeting USPSTF and AHA at-risk criteria and reported dyslipidemia prevalence by age.

Main Results:

  • Over half of younger women (20-44 years) and 74.2% of older women (≥45 years) were USPSTF at-risk.
  • Nearly all women (99.5% younger, 99.6% older) had at least one AHA risk factor.
  • Dyslipidemia prevalence was 47.3% for USPSTF-at-risk younger women and 65.5% for USPSTF-at-risk older women; AHA-at-risk prevalence was 39.5% and 63.3%, respectively.

Conclusions:

  • The AHA risk definition identified more women (45% more younger, 25% more older) than the USPSTF definition.
  • Both definitions identified similar dyslipidemia prevalence estimates among women.
  • High dyslipidemia prevalence in younger women warrants further research on early identification and treatment to reduce future CVD mortality.
Abstract

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