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Longitudinal Trends in Severe Dyslipidemia in the Czech Population: The Czech MONICA and Czech Post-MONICA Study
Renata Cífková1,2, Jan Bruthans1, Peter Wohlfahrt1
1Center for Cardiovascular Prevention, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine and Thomayer University Hospital, 140 59 Prague, Czech Republic.
Insights
Severe dyslipidemia remains a concern in the Czech Republic, despite improvements in cholesterol levels. Many individuals with high cholesterol are undiagnosed and untreated, posing cardiovascular risks.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Severe hypercholesterolemia significantly elevates the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
- Dyslipidemia, defined as total cholesterol > 8 mmol/L or LDL-cholesterol > 5 mmol/L, requires ongoing monitoring.
- Understanding population trends in dyslipidemia is crucial for cardiovascular disease prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate longitudinal trends in severe dyslipidemia prevalence within the Czech Republic.
- To analyze changes in the demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals with severe dyslipidemia over time.
- To assess the impact of these trends on cardiovascular disease risk management.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from seven cross-sectional surveys conducted in the Czech Republic between 1985 and 2015-2018.
- Examined a representative sample of 20,443 individuals aged 25-64 years.
- Screened for major cardiovascular risk factors, including severe dyslipidemia.
Main Results:
- Overall prevalence of severe dyslipidemia was 6.6%, showing a downward trend from 2000/2001 onwards.
- Individuals with severe dyslipidemia were older, had higher BMI, and consistent smoking habits over 30+ years.
- Significant decreases in total cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol were observed in both sexes.
Conclusions:
- Lipid improvements in the Czech Republic have contributed to reduced cardiovascular mortality.
- A substantial number of individuals with severe dyslipidemia remain untreated and are often newly diagnosed.
- Continued efforts are needed to identify and manage severe dyslipidemia to further mitigate cardiovascular risk.
Abstract:
Background: Severe hypercholesterolemia is associated with an increase in the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The aim of this analysis was to assess longitudinal trends in severe dyslipidemia (defined as total cholesterol > 8 mmol/L or LDL-cholesterol > 5 mmol/L) in a representative population sample of the Czech Republic and to analyze the longitudinal trends in the basic characteristics of individuals with severe dyslipidemia. Methods: Seven independent cross-sectional surveys were organized in the Czech Republic to screen for major cardiovascular risk factors (from 1985 to 2015-2018). A total of 20,443 randomly selected individuals aged 25-64 years were examined. Results: The overall prevalence of severe dyslipidemia was 6.6%, with a significant downward trend from the fifth survey onwards (2000/2001). Over the study period of 30+ years, the individuals with severe dyslipidemia became older, increased in BMI, and did not change their smoking habits. Total cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol decreased significantly in both sexes throughout the duration of the study. Conclusions: Despite a significant improvement in lipids in the Czech Republic from 1985, substantially contributing to the decline in cardiovascular mortality, the number of individuals with severe dyslipidemia remained high, and in most cases, they were newly detected during our screening examinations and were thus untreated.
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