Introduction: The importance of serum lipids as cardiovascular risk factors is well recognized. However, most published studies have focused on western countries. The present study aimed to describe and analyze the lipid profile parameters in Malaysian dyslipidemic patients, and to identify concomitant clinical problems and risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) among such patients.
Methods: A retrospective record review was carried out at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. The records were reviewed for 890 dyslipidemic patients who attended the hospital in 2007. Data were collected for age at time of presentation, sex, ethnicity, smoking status, pre-treatment lipid levels, and presence of associated illnesses. The study sample was classified according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III risk groups.
Results: The mean (SD) values for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were 6.4 (1.3), 4.1 (1.3), 1.4 (0.5) and 1.9 (1.2) mmol/l, respectively. Less than half of study sample (43.1%) had coronary heart disease and coronary heart diseases equivalents, 24.3% were at moderate risk, and 32.6% were at low risk. Hypertension was present in 79.9% of the study sample, while 27.5% were diabetics. Cardiovascular disease was reported among 17.9%. Logistic regression revealed that family history of premature cardiovascular disease, higher age risk group; ethnicity and total cholesterol were predictors for the development of cardiovascular disease.
Conclusion: The present review showed that dyslipidemic patients had high total cholesterol levels, according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. They were clinically diagnosed at middle age. Hypertension and diabetes were the commonest associated clinical problems. A large proportion of the patients were within the coronary heart disease or coronary heart disease risk equivalent group. Family history of premature cardiovascular disease, age, ethnicity, and total cholesterol are important risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease in Malaysian dyslipidemic patients.