Prevalence of Dyslipidemia in Military Police Officers Operating in a Special Operations Group

Abstract

Background: Dyslipidemia is a disorder caused by alterations in the plasma concentrations of one or more lipids/lipoproteins. It is considered a metabolic disease that exposes the body to various harmful and even fatal events, one of which is the increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Military police officers, in turn, are exposed to high physical and psychological risks and may suffer from cardiovascular diseases more than other professions. Objectives: In this sense, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the lipid profile of military police officers working in a special operations group to identify the prevalence of dyslipidemia among the subjects. Methods: In total, 65 volunteers participated in the study, members of a special operations battalion (37.26 ± 5.77 years of age). Blood collection was performed after 12 hours of fasting to analyze the following variables: Total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c, and HDL-c. Results: The total cholesterol value presented the highest variation, since 77% of those evaluated showed altered values. Regarding the values of HLD, LDL, and triglycerides, most subjects (89%, 72%, and 80%, respectively) presented results within normal values Conclusions: It can be concluded that most participants presented regular values for most of the analyzed lipid fractions, which could contribute to their demands during their work activities. It is believed that the positive results seen in this group, which is heterogeneous with respect to age, are due to an extremely rigorous selection process and a training program that elevates the individuals to the rank of elite soldiers within the Brazilian military police.