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The prevalence of elevated
cholesterol (240 mg/dl) is 20 % for black women (15). Although hyperlipidemia has not
specifically been studied in African American women, it has been studied in white American
women. Following menopause, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels increase reaching
the levels of age matched men (21). HDL cholesterol also decreases and triglyceride levels
as well as lipoprotein concentrations also increase (15). Although cholesterol and
liporotein levels have not specifically been studied in African American women they have
been studied in black American males and white males and females. Elevated lipoprotein
levels are typically associated with atherosclerosis and thrombosis in white American men
and women. Although African Americans have higher lipoprotein levels than whites, these
levels are less predictive of atherosclrosis for blacks than whites (15). |