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Published on: 17/12/2020 14:40
What is the relationship between LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke? What is the best diet to keep it under control? Why is it important to quit smoking and keep fit with even moderate physical activity? How is hypercholesterolemia diagnosed? To these, and other questions, he answers abcolesterolo.it, the site that opens the Daiichi Sankyo Italia campaign, in collaboration with the Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (Atbv) Study Group for the prevention of hypercholesterolemia, all the more dangerous because asymptomatic and therefore imperceptible by those who suffer from it, but which can often be managed through simple precautions.
Across Europe – a note recalls – every year there are 4 million deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases, 111 billion euros spent annually for health care related to these diseases, and hypercholesterolemia in European women and men has a prevalence of 54%: the highest percentage in the world. Yet numerous evidence available today unequivocally demonstrates how the reduction in plasma levels of Ldl cholesterol (C-Ldl) reduces cardiovascular risk: a reduction of 40 mg / dl of C-Ldl is associated with a reduction of 20-25% in mortality from cardiovascular causes such as heart attack and stroke.
This makes the C-Ldl (the so-called ‘bad cholesterol’, ed.), the lipid component with the greatest documented pathogenetic effect on coronary events and therefore the most important target in both prevention and therapeutic strategies. In fact – the note continues – hypercholesterolemia, together with hypertension, obesity, and smoking habit, is one of the main risk factors that can be modified with a change in lifestyle: a healthy diet, for example, can reduce cholesterol in the blood between 5% and 10%, thus also decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Numbers and scientific evidence – the note recalls – led European specialists to modify the Esc / Eas (European society of cardiology / European society of atherosclerosis) guidelines for the management of dyslipidemias, further lowering the optimal target values of LDL-cholesterol in the blood: 116 mg / dL for low-risk cardiovascular patients, 100 mg // dL for moderate-risk individuals, 70 mg / dL for high-risk patients (with familial dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension or renal insufficiency) and 55 mg / dL dL for those at very high risk (who have already had a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event).
In Italy, from an analysis conducted by the Cardiovascular Epidemiological Observatory (OEC) / Health examination survey (Hes), on the population aged between 35 and 74 years between 1998 and 2012, it emerged that the average value of total cholesterol it significantly increased in both men (205 to 211 mg / dL) and women (207 to 217 mg / dL). The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia also increased in both genders, from 20.8% to 34.3% in men and from 24.6% to 36.6% in women.
“Unfortunately, too many people still ignore or neglect the serious consequences that high levels of LDL cholesterol can have on heart health. The fact that hypercholesterolemia does not involve perceptible symptoms, in fact, significantly lowers the level of attention”, explains Massimo Grandi, President and CEO of Daiichi Sankyo Italy. “In cases like this, information and prevention are the most powerful weapons to combat the risks of the disease, which is why Daiichi Sankyo has decided to restart from the ABC, with a organic prevention campaign which will involve everyone, from employees to specialists, but above all patients, who, thanks to a new interactive and stimulating tool, will have at their disposal all the most up-to-date information, tools and useful tips to keep their cholesterol under control and thus lower their risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke “.
An educational game, user-friendly graphics, clear language, simple and concise messages conveyed in the form of answers to doubts and frequently asked questions: these are the main ingredients of the site that starts the awareness campaign ABColesterolo. The gateway to the contents of the site – reports the note – is the educational game “Gino escape”, a quiz of 5 questions in 50 seconds on cholesterol, which will change periodically, in order to push the user to test himself on the knowledge of the pathology and to navigate in the various sections of the site. At the end of the quiz, the user can download the complete guide with useful information and tips for the fight against dyslipidemia.
And again: the ‘Abc Quiz’ questionnaire / survey relating to the contents explained in the various sections. Those who respond will also help specialists to better understand the deficiencies and unmet needs of people with this type of pathology. And the ‘Give voice to the expert’ section with explanations from some of the most important Italian specialists engaged in research and in the fight against dyslipidemias. The site – the note specifies – will be constantly updated with new content and programs that will also be disseminated through the dedicated Facebook Community ‘Reduce Cholesterol’.
“Cardiovascular prevention in subjects with high C-Ldl values, in order to be effective, has as its cornerstone a direct involvement of the subject, so that the latter feels a decisive protagonist for the improvement of his own prognosis”, explains Giuseppe Patti, president of Atvb. “This campaign certainly goes in this direction, through the proactive and extensive dissemination, to reach the greatest number of people, of the risks associated with hypercholesterolemia and the basic methods for cardiovascular prevention”.
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