More than half of American Indian teens and young adults have high 胆固醇

的 majority of American Indian teens and young adults have high 胆固醇, according to a new 研究 that researchers say is the first to examine 胆固醇 levels in this specific population.

的 研究, published this week in the Journal of the 美国心脏协会, also found few of those with high 胆固醇 – a well-established risk factor for heart disease and 中风 – were being treated for it.

这项研究的首席研究员Dr. Ying Zhang, said the findings, especially among adolescents, were surprising.

"的 high 胆固醇 in this population will likely lead to subtle damage in blood vessels and to premature heart disease,张在沙巴足球体育平台发布会上说. She is an associate professor of biostatistics and director of the Center for American Indian Health Research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. "的re is a need for care, including early screening and treatment, for high 胆固醇 levels."

Researchers analyzed data for 1,440 teens and adults enrolled in the 心脏健康家庭研究, which looked at risk factors for heart disease and 中风 among tribal communities in central Arizona, 俄克拉荷马州西南部以及北达科他州和南达科他州. Participants were 15 to 39 years old during their first exam between 2001 and 2003.

在15至19岁的美国印第安人中，55%的人有高水平 胆固醇. About 74% in their 20s had it, as did 78% of those in their 30s. By comparison, prior studies have shown about 25% of adolescents overall in the U.S. 大约30%的年轻人有高胆固醇.

颈动脉斑块, 高胆固醇会导致哪一种, was measured using ultrasound at the beginning of the 研究 and after a median 5.5年随访. Nearly 10% of 研究 participants showed signs of plaque development in their arteries, 11%的人比研究开始时有更多的斑块.

平均年龄超过18岁.到2020年的5年随访, 9%的参与者经历或死于心脏病发作, 中风, 心力衰竭或其他心血管沙巴体育平台点击进入.

Although they met the threshold for taking 胆固醇-lowering medications, none of the participants under 20 years old were doing so at the start of the 研究 or after up to eight years of follow-up. 跨年龄组, less than 2% of participants were taking such medications at the start of the 研究 and only 8% at follow-up.

Heart disease rates among American Indians and Alaska Natives are about 50% higher than their white peers, 根据2020年美国心脏协会的数据 科学声明. American Indian and Alaska Native adults also develop cardiovascular diseases at younger ages.

"It is our hope that our 研究's results attract attention within the health care community,张说. "It would be beneficial for American Indian youth and young adults to get recommendations from their physicians about regularly checking 胆固醇 levels."