Prevalência e fatores associados à hipertrigliceridemia em mulheres: estudo de base populacional em Alagoas.

Abstract

Hypertriglyceridemia is the accumulation of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in the blood, specifically chylomicrons, and very low-density lipoproteins. It is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), especially atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The hypertriglyceridemia has a multifactorial etiology that includes non-modifiable factors, such as genetics and age, and modifiable factors, such as inadequate eating habits and excessive alcohol consumption. Identifying these factors across various population is crucial for implementing preventive measures. Despite the clinical and epidemiological relevance of hypertriglyceridemia as a risk factor for CVD, population-based surveys on its prevalence are scarce in Brazil. In Alagoas, the epidemiological profile of this pathology is still unknown. Aiming to contribute to the discussion of this problem, this dissertation is composed of two chapters: a literature review and an original article. The literature review covered the physiological and epidemiological aspects related to hypertriglyceridemia. The original article is a cross-sectional study that aimed to identify the prevalence and factors associated with hypertriglyceridemia in women from Alagoas aged 20 to 49 years. Hypertriglyceridemia was defined by fasting triglyceride level ≥ 150 mg/dL, or drug treatment for dyslipidemia. The analysis of factors associated (environmental, demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health variables) with hypertriglyceridemia followed a hierarchical theoretical model and was carried out using Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment. A sample was composed of 798 women, of which 30.8% had hypertriglyceridemia. The risk factors independently associated with its occurrence were increasing age, drinking alcohol, consumption of saturated fat, accumulation of abdominal fat, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia in women from Alagoas was high and was predominantly associated with modifiable risk factors. In this scenario, priority should be given to planning and developing public health actions and programs aimed at preventing and controlling hypertriglyceridemia, with an emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyle habits, reducing the accumulation of abdominal fat, controlling SAH and low HDL-c.