Prevalence and Coexistence of Cardiovascular Comorbidities among the US Dyslipidemic Population Aged ≥ 65 Years by Lipid-Lowering Medication Use Status

Abstract

Using data from the 2001–2002, 2003–2004, and 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, we generated current estimates of the prevalence and overlap of cardiovascular comorbidities among older US adults (aged ≥ 65 years) with dyslipidemia, stratified by lipid-lowering medication use. We estimated that among the 32.5 million older US adults, 67% (21.8 million) are dyslipidemic. Among these subjects, the prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) is 9.9% (2.2 million); coronary heart disease (CHD): 27.0% (5.9 million); history of stroke: 10.4% (2.3 million); diabetes: 26.5% (5.8 million); and ≥ 1 of these comorbidities: 51.2% (11.1 million). Among dyslipidemic subjects who are receiving lipid-lowering medication (10.4 million), these figures are CHF: 10.1% (1.0 million); CHD: 29.6% (3.1 million); history of stroke: 12.3% (1.3 million); diabetes: 31.5% (3.3 million); and ≥ 1 of these comorbidities: 55.3% (5.7 million); compared with those who are not receiving lipid-lowering medication (11.4 million), CHF: 9.8% (1.1 million); CHD: 24.7% (2.8 million); history of stroke: 8.6% (1 million); diabetes: 21.9% (2.5 million); and ≥ 1 of these comorbidities: 47.5% (5.4 million). Among older US adults with dyslipidemia, 51.2% have ≥ 1 of the cardiovascular conditions studied. Among those who are receiving lipid-lowering medication, 55.3% report having comorbidities that put them at high risk for new or recurring cardiovascular events. Even more noteworthy is that 47.5% of dyslipidemic older adults who are not taking statins also have significant comorbidities. This highlights a critical unmet medical need for this growing population, which, solely based on age, is more likely to be at risk for cardiovascular events.

Keywords:

• elderly
• undertreatment
• dyslipidemia
• cardiovascular risk
• statins