Possible usefulness of screening for hyperlipidaemia
Nestel, P.J.; Quinlivan, N.; Roxburgh, H.
Medical Journal of Australia 2(7): 203-205
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X PMID: 909482 Document Number: 111691
The operation of a Risk Evaluation Service to screen for hypertension and hyperlipaemia and offer dietary advice to persons found to be hyperlipaemic is described. Of men 33% and of women 36% weighed more than 10% above ideal bodyweight. Serum cholesterol values of 6.4 mmol/litre (250 mg/100 ml) or above were found in at least 25% of men and women above 40 years old. Hypercholesterolaemia, defined in this way, responded readily to appropriate dietary advice (75% of men and 64% of women attained normal cholesterol values in 4 to 6 weeks; mean pretreatment cholesterol values were 7.2 and 7.4 mmol/litre for men and women, respectively; means after treatment were 5.9 and 6.4 mmol/litre). The response was less impressive for combined hyperlipaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia (about one-half attained normal values in 4 to 6 weeks), possibly owing to insufficient time for adequate weight loss to have occurred. The findings confirm the high prevalence of hyperlipaemia in middle-aged Australians and suggest that simple dietary counselling will frequently correct hypercholesterolaemia at least in the short term.