Data from lipid screening in private practice in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

We screened 475 subjects for fasting serum total cholesterol and triglyceride. They included 315 males and 160 females. The age range was 10-70 years. The mean serum total cholesterol [STC] was 5.5 mmol/L +/- 1.5 [5.5 +/- 1.6 in males and 5.6 +/- 1.4 in females]. The mean value for serum triglyceride was [2.5 +/- 1.3 in males and 2.1 +/- 1.4 in females], STC was slightly higher in females than in males in all age groups up to the 3rd decade of life. 39% of the population group had STC less than 5.2 - 7.5 mmol/L and in 23% the level was higher than 7.5 mmol/L. Serum triglyceride was above 2.28 mmol/L in 33% of cases, a higher incidence was found among the elderly and the diabetics. In comparison to the data reported from other countries, we have shown that the mean STC in our selected population is in the intermediate nations. Health care measure should be undertaken to counteract the problem of dyslipidemia including public education, routine necessary dietary modification and encouragement of physical exercise