[Primary and secondary prevention in dyslipidemia in the elderly].
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and a major cause of disability in advanced age. The relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD) and dyslipoproteinaemia is well known. The fact, however, that atherosclerosis is a systemic disease leads also to the consideration that patients suffering from cerebrovascular and peripheral arterial disease should benefit similarly from lipid lowering therapy as do patients with CHD. There is already growing evidence that the incidence of stroke may be markedly decreased by statin therapy. Though overall, the clinical significance of hypercholesterolaemia seems to decrease with increasing age, patients at age 65 to 75 tend to benefit even more than younger patients when elevated LDL-cholesterol is treated effectively. It should be noticed that prevention or postponement of cardiovascular events may also prevent premature functional limitations and disability in old age. Hence, it is suggested to screen elderly people with CVD for dyslipoproteinaemia and to treat elevated cholesterol levels by means of life style changes, nutritional therapy, and drug therapy. Treatment regimes should be considered depending upon complete risk stratification and geriatric assessment. Chronological age alone cannot be an argument to withhold a proven effective therapy from a growing segment of the population at risk.