hypercholesterolemia: Incidence and prevalence of the disorder in the population

hypercholesterolemia: Incidence and prevalence of the disorder in the population

Hypercholesterolemia: Incidence and Prevalence

 1. Morbidity and Mortality in Population

 Prevalence:

 Elevated levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream is a disorder popular among populace and physicians know it by the name hypercholesterolemia. From survey, total cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL are recorded in 95 million American adults as quoted by the American Heart Association. Of these adults, 28 million have a level greater and higher than 240 mg/dL, which is believed to be high.

 It also varies from region to region, internationally. For instance, in European countries it was found that hypercholesterolemia is present in between 20 to 60% of adults depending on the country’s guidelines.

 Incidence:

 This is the occurrences of carcinomas within a stated period of time per unit population, specifically from the totality, the total new cases diagnosed in the certain period. Hypercholesterolemia like other illnesses has its risks factors that include diet, genetic and or hereditary factors, and lifestyle. The incidence rate is also on the rise in the U. S. and other developed countries, the increase in obesity level and other bad health practices have been implicated.

 For example, the Framington Heart Study which examined the data of a group of patients from the USA has revealed the fact that hypercholesterolemia is a condition that prevails with age, especially in the elderly.

 2. Risk Factors for the Incidence and Prevalence of the Disease

 Genetics: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition that leads to massively high cholesterol levels. More than 130,000 cases are reported every year globally; it occurs in approximately 0. 4 per cent of world’s population. FH can be autosomal dominant meaning that persons with a single gene mutation can have high cholesterol rates.

 Lifestyle Factors: Other causes of hypercholesterolemia include: consumption of foods rich in fats and cholesterol, lack of physical exercises and high body weight. The following are some of them, which have greatly contributed to the increasing redundancy observed internationally.

 Age and Gender: Both prevalence and incidence can rise with age also they evidently have different measures. There is marked age difference in cholera levels; men of pre-menopausal age have higher cholesterol than women, but post menopausal women have higher cholesterol levels than men.

 3. Impact of Hypercholesterolemia

 Health Outcomes: High levels of cholesterol have immense effects on heart diseases; these include coronary artery diseases heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. The load placed on healthcare and the costs left for healthcare buyers are high because the consequences of untreated hypercholesterolemia are severe.

 Management and Screening: Screening should therefore be done periodically, to enable identification and management of hypercholesterolemia early. The use of statins and especially the dietary interventions are often prescribed for the cholesterol level management and risks related to it.