Diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the elderly: concomitant hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease risk.

Age is an important factor in predicting risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Age is currently treated as an independent variable in assessing risk, but it is also related to other major risk factors including hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes, all of which increase in prevalence with age. Current evidence indicates that a combination of 2 or more of the major risk factors predisposes a person to a high risk of MI. In the experience of the Prospective Cardiovascular Munster study, patients with diabetes alone have twice the risk of MI, but those with diabetes and hyperlipidemia have about a 15-fold increased risk. Similarly, patients with hypertension alone have twice the risk of MI, but those with hypertension combined with hyperlipidemia have approximately a 15-fold increased risk.