Prevalence of dyslipidemia and associated factors among the hypertensive rural chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia plays a crucial rule in the development of cardiovascular disease, which has become the leading cause of death in most developed countries as well as in developing countries. This study was designed to investigate the epidemiological features of dyslipidemia in rural adults with hypertension in China.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2004-2006 through a cluster multistage sampling to a resident group of 6,412 individuals (2,805 men, 3,607 women) with hypertension, aged >/=35 years, in the countryside of Liaoning, China. Serum lipids levels were proposed by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III.

RESULTS: Of the study population 34.4% had borderline high total cholesterol (TC), 16.9% had high TC, and 8.8% had low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The population with borderline high, high, and very high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was 15.7, 3.5, and 0.9%, respectively. In addition, 15.9% had borderline high triglycerides (TG), 17.8% had high TG and 2.0% had very high TG. After adjusting for independent variables, TC and TG had the same risk with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and body mass index. Risk factors of TC and LDL-C were women, age and FPG. Mongolia nationality as a protective factor positively correlated with TC, LDL-C, and TG. Women, age, drinking, and classification of blood pressure were protective factors but Mongolia nationality was a risk factor for HDL-C.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the prevalence of dyslipidemia was relatively high among rural hypertensive patients in China and there were many modifiable risk factors for dyslipidemia such as hypertension, weight, and impaired glucose metabolism. To prevent dyslipidemia and to reduce the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease in rural areas with the undeveloped economy of China, the first aim for us is to reduce these risk factors.