August 11, 2010 – Young adults with abnormal cholesterol levels may be more affected by heart disease as they age, according to a recent American study1.
The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing, over a period of 20 years, the levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol in the blood of 3,258 people between the ages of 18 and 30 at the start of the study.
Almost half (44%) of the participants with an LDL level (the “bad” cholesterol) equal to or greater than 4.14 mmol / l suffered at 45 years of age from arteriosclerosis, i.e. calcification of the blood vessels. arteries that cause cardiovascular disease. Among participants with an LDL level below 1.81 mmol / L, just 8% developed artery calcification as they aged.
Even though their LDL level was slightly above target2 – defined at less than 2.59 mmol / l (up to 3.34 mmol / l) -, of the participants presented at 45 years of arteriosclerosis.
An association has also been demonstrated with HDL (the “good” cholesterol). A majority of participants who did not have an optimal HDL level at the start of the study, i.e. less than 1.55 mmol / L, had more arteriosclerosis two decades later.
This study is the first to establish that even at a young age, high cholesterol can have long-term harmful effects. It shows that calcium deposits on the walls of blood vessels accumulate in a lasting way from the twenties and expose young adults to serious diseases later.
In order to more effectively prevent heart disease and stroke, young adults should make sure to keep their cholesterol levels, especially LDL, at their optimal levels, the researchers note. This means eating better, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight.
The vast majority of people with high cholesterol are prescribed statins to lower their cholesterol levels. Researchers question the need, or even the safety, of this medication in young adults, because its effectiveness has never been analyzed in those under 40. Further studies are needed to know the effects of taking statins over several decades, they argue.
Louis Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
1. Pletcher MJ, Bibbins-Domingo K, et al. Nonoptimal Lipids Commonly Present in Young Adults and Coronary Calcium Later in Life: The CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study. Ann Intern Med. 2010 Aug 3; 153 (3): 137-46.
2. In this study, the optimal lipid level is defined according to the guidelines of the US National Cholesterol Education Program. In Canada, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society sets the optimal level (or target) for LDL at 2 mmol / L or less. For HDL, the index is represented by the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. The target value is less than 4 mmol / L.
