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COPYRIGHT 2004 International Medical News Group
The data are clear: concurrently, even mild-to-moderate elevations of blood pressure and cholesterol can mean an increased risk of cardiovascular events. (1-3)
Studies such as the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), an epidemiologic study of 316,099 men with an average follow-up of 12 years, have shown that even mild-to-moderate levels of both hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] 132-141 mm Hg) and dyslipidemia (total cholesterol 221-244 mg/dL) can impart risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) that is similar or greater than that due to severe elevations of either risk factor alone. (1,2) Wilson et al observed that patients with moderately elevated SBP (140-159 mm Hg) and LDL-C (100-159 mg/dL) had a similar 10-year risk of CHD as those with highly elevated SBP or LDL-C (SBP > 160 mm Hg or LDL-C > 160 mg/dL). (2)
Hypertension and dyslipidemia, 2 of the most prevalent risk factors for CHD, frequently occur together. (4,5) Almost 2 out of every 3 patients with hypertension have dyslipidemia,...
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