[Selective screening for hypercholesterolemia. Results from a screening model in general practice]. / Selektiv screening for hyperkolesterolaemi. Resultater fra en screeningsmodel i almen praksis.

At present, it appears to be probable that both dietary changes and medicinal treatment can reduce the risk of development of coronary disease in middle-aged men with moderately to severely raised blood cholesterol values. Internationally, the limits for cholesterol intervention are considerably lower than in Denmark. Extensive cholesterol screening is, however, very expensive and the identified persons with high cholesterol values will frequently be found in sex and age groups where the beneficial effect of intervention is probably limited. A model for selective cholesterol screening in high risk groups in general practice is described here. In 20 general practices, all of the men aged 45-59 years belonging to the practice were invited to examination of cholesterol and blood pressure. Plasma cholesterol was measured by means of a Reflotron (results are available within three minutes) and the blood pressure and tobacco consumption were registered. After this, the patient's own general practitioner calculated with each of the persons the risk for development of myocardial infarction within the next ten years and intervention could be commenced immediately. 41% of those invited came for examination. Out of these, 29% had cholesterol values greater than or equal to 7.0 mmol/l (Danish limiting value), 44% greater than or equal to 6.5 mmol/l (limiting value in the remainder of Western Europe), and 5% greater than or equal to 9.0 mmol/l (severe hypercholesterolaemia) while only 18% had completely normal cholesterol less than 5.2 mmol/l. In every practice, two patients on an average were found with severe hypercholesterolaemia greater than or equal to 9.0 mmol/l. 28% of the participants had at least two of the three risk factors investigated. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Formalized dietary advice in hypercholesterolemia. Results in 110 men diagnosed by selective screening in general practice]. / Formaliseret diaetvejledning ved hyperkolesterolaemi. Resultater hos 110 maend diagnosticeret ved selektiv screening i almen praksis.

In connection with a screening investigation for high blood cholesterol in middle-aged men in general practice in the Municipality of Copenhagen, all participants with cholesterol values greater than or equal to 7.5 mmol/l were given brief advice by their own general practitioner and were invited to come for fasting blood lipid tests approximately ten days later. In cases with continued cholesterol greater than or equal to 6.8 mmol/l, the participants together with wives or partners were invited to formalized dietary advice in small groups. Already before the formalized dietary advice, an average decrease in serum cholesterol of 10% was observed. This was attributed to biological variation, absence of fasting, the degree of error between the measuring methods and also a genuine decrease on the basis of the brief dietary advice by the general practitioner. On control after dietary advice, a further decrease in cholesterol of 15% was observed while low density lipoprotein cholesterol fell by 20% and triglycerides by 23%. These decreases must be considered to result mainly from the dietary advice. It is concluded that a single but professional session of dietary advice in small groups and with involvement of the wives or partners is an effective method of treatment in hypercholesterolaemia. If the decrease in cholesterol obtained can be maintained, the literature suggests that the risk of development of ischaemic heart disease during the subsequent 5-7 years is reduced by 20-30%.

[Measurement of blood cholesterol, decentralized, using a Reflotron, or centralized in a laboratory. A comparison]. / Måling af blod-kolesterol decentralt med Reflotron eller centraliseret i laboratorium. En sammenligning.

In connection with an extensive screening programme for blood cholesterol, the cholesterol values in 105 participants were measured on a sample of capillary blood employing a Reflotron and, simultaneously, samples of venous blood were examined by conventional enzymatic analysis in a laboratory. Whereas the day-to-day variation and the scatter involved were quite limited in the laboratory, the variation scatter between the two methods of measurement was 0.65 mmol/l. This figure was, however, no greater than that described between different laboratories in USA. Nevertheless, it is an important problem with the Reflotron method that even slight deviations from the recommended procedure of withdrawing blood involve a systematic risk for erroneously low cholesterol results.

[Screening for cardiovascular risk factors in a large workplace]. / Screening for kardiovaskulaere risikofaktorer på en stor arbejdsplads.

A screening investigation was carried out in a large industry in the Copenhagen region and 1,472 of the employees were offered examination of blood cholesterol and measurement of blood pressure. At this examination the employees completed a one-page questionnaire about other cardiovascular risk factors. 45% of those invited participated in the investigation, the poorest participation was among women and the greatest among the male officials. On account of the limited number of female employees, the majority of results were only calculated for men. Over 1/3 of these had hypercholesteremia (greater than or equal to 7.0 mmol/l) and nearly 1/3 had, simultaneously, at least two cardiovascular risk factors in addition to age and male sex. Extensive occupational investigations under the auspices of WHO have demonstrated that energetic intervention at the place of work aimed at the cardiovascular risk factors can reduce the risk of development of coronary heart disease and death within a six-year follow-up period. It is therefore emphasized that similar interventions are very necessary also in Denmark.

[Models for calculating risks as a tool in screening for cardiovascular diseases]. / Risikoberegningsmodeller som redskab i screeningsundersøgelser for kardiovaskulaere sygdomme.

In connection with screening for risk factors for ischaemic heart disease in Bispebjerg Hospital, we have assessed three different models for calculation of the risk, employed on our own material. A total of 462 persons participated in the screening and 275 of these were under the age of 65 years. Out of these 275, 92 had plasma cholesterol values over or equal to 7.0 mmol/l and or smoked over 20 gram tobacco daily. On comparison between three models for calculation of the risk: one American, one British and one Swedish, moderate agreement was observed: the correlation coefficients varied between 0.75 and 0.89. The reason for this may be that the models for calculation of the risk are constructed on the basis of statistics already described from epidemiological investigations in which coincidence is demonstrated between selected observable factors and ischaemic heart disease. It is thus possible that the factors which we measure and possibly attempt to influence are not pathogenetic. We consider, therefore, that risk scoring should be employed with caution. As causal connection between ischaemic heart disease and cholesterol and smoking, respectively, have been demonstrated with reasonable certainty, we consider that it is reasonable to screen and intervene for these factors alone.