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Experts know that in adults under 65, high cholesterol levels in the blood can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. However, in adults aged 80 and older, researchers have not, so far, studied in depth the impact of high cholesterol on heart disease, your ability to function well and your risk of death.
In fact, some research shows that a high level of total cholesterol and a lower level of "bad" cholesterol (also called "low density lipoprotein" or LDL cholesterol) could help you protect your ability to perform your daily activities. and preserve your life longer.
In addition, it appears that having a low cholesterol level is badociated with a higher risk of death from cancer, respiratory illness and accidents among adults aged 80 and over. It also seems that the benefits of taking drugs called statins, which lower cholesterol, may decrease with age. The researchers even have a sentence for this phenomenon. They call this the "paradox of the risk factor". This describes the fact that among adults aged 80 and over, certain conditions considered to pose a health risk to younger people predict better survival. These conditions include higher total cholesterol, higher blood pressure and body mbad index (BMI, a weight / height ratio that helps determine whether you are overweight or obese).
"Triglycerides" are a type of fat in the blood that your body uses as energy. High triglyceride levels may increase the risk of heart disease in young adults. However, we do not know as much about the risks for adults aged 80 and over, nor about the fact that high levels of triglycerides can affect their risk of disability or even death.
A team of researchers in China decided to find out more about the relevance of current triglyceride recommendations for people aged 80 and over. To do this, the team explored the links between triglyceride levels and the ability to perform daily tasks, cognitive function (ability to think and make decisions) and frailty (age-related increases the risk of poor health, falls, disability and death.Signs of frailty include weakness, weight loss and low level of activity.). The researchers also examined whether triglyceride levels had an impact on death in a group of 930 Chinese aged 80 and over.
The researchers learned that for older people in the study, higher triglyceride levels were badociated with lower risk of cognitive decline, reduced ability to perform daily tasks, frailty less and a lower risk of death.
The researchers said their findings challenge current thinking that high triglyceride levels are a risk factor for chronic diseases and age-related deaths. The researchers said their study suggested that after age 80, taking medications to lower cholesterol would have very little benefit.
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Material provided by American Geriatric Society. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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