| Abstract [eng] |
INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide. Severe hypercholesterolemia is a proven risk factor for atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease – patients with this condition are at increased cardiovascular risk even in the absence of other risk factors. Yet, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Familial hypercholesterolemia is thought to be the main primary cause of severe hypercholesterolemia. However, prevalence of severe hypercholesterolemia has not been studied in Lithuania. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of severe hypercholesterolemia among patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients hospitalized to Vilnius university hospital Santaros klinikos due to coronary heart disease in the years 2005-2023 was conducted. Data was attained from an electronic medical history database. Demographic data (sex, age), as well as data on cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus) and lipid profile results were collected. Severe hypercholesterolemia was defined as low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels ≥4,9 mmol/l. RESULTS: 34669 patients (12115 (34,9%) females and 22554 (65,1%) males) were included into the study. The median age of the study population was 67 years. 48,0% of patients were found to have a diagnosis of hypertension, whereas 11,8% of patients were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 9,3% of patients were diagnosed with both diabetes and hypertension; both risk factors and their combination were more prevalent among females, p<0,05. Severe hypercholesterolemia was found in 9,9% of patients in the study population (13,4% of females and 8,0% of males, p<0,001). Definite FH phenotype was found in 0,1% of the population. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, severe hypecholesterolemia was found in one out of ten patients (9,9%) hospitalized due to coronary heart disease. In contrast, definite familial hypercholesterolemia was only found in 0,1% of the study population. |
