A study led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine involving more than 200,000 adults found that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 29% increase in risk for developing dyslipidemia, a condition involving abnormal lipid (fat) levels in the blood. Seniors and people with type 2 diabetes were even more strongly affected, experiencing an approximately two-fold increased risk for developing dyslipidemia, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. The research was published today in the print edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation .
"Given the extent of the pandemic, this increase in dyslipidemia risk is a cause for concern around the world," said study leader Gaetano Santulli, M.D., Ph.
D., associate professor of medicine and of molecular pharmacology at Einstein. "Based on our findings, we would advise people to have their lipid levels monitored regularly and to consult with their health care providers about ways to treat dyslipidemia if detected, especially elderly individuals and patients with diabetes.
" He noted that this advice would apply to all adults, not just those formally diagnosed with COVID-19, considering that many people have been infected without realizing it. To put these findings into context, it has been estimated that 53% of U.S.
adults had dyslipidemia before the pandemic; a 29% increase in dyslipidemia incidence due to COVID-19 would mean that 68% of Americans may now be at risk for having lip.