Fasting serum cholesterol and triglycerides in a ten-year prospective study in old age.

In a ten-year prospective study of a population of men and women aged exactly 70 at entry and otherwise selected only according to geography, the predictive values of serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides were evaluated concerning total mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer manifestations in the eighth decade. Both high and low cholesterol values at 70 were associated with excess total mortality in men, the former showing excess CVD mortality, the latter excess cancer mortality. In men, high values of triglycerides at 70 were associated with increased CVD mortality as well as CVD development. In women, high values of triglycerides at 70 were associated with excess hospitalization for cerebrovascular incidence alone.