Is there an age cut off for statin prescription?

HPS (Heart Protection Study) had a high risk population with wide age range 40-80, with at least 5806 patients aged >70. These patients had a relative risk reduction (RRR) for first major vascular event of 17%. If patients 80-85 years age at the end of the study are considered, there were 1263 of these in whom relative risk reduction for first major vascular event was 28% (p=0.0002)

Is hypertriglyceridaemia associated with an increased cardiovascular risk?

Hypertriglyceridaemia tends to be associated with low HDL levels in most situations, barring alcohol intake and HRT use. The low HDL levels could contribute to most of the cardiovascular risk associated with the hypertriglyceridaemia. BMJ. 1994 Jul 2;309(6946):2-3.    Patients with VLDL particles enriched with Apo E can produce a conformational change in the VLDL particle which facilitates its binding to the macrophage scavenger receptor with resultant unregulated uptake into macrophages, akin to LDL uptake. This in turn can lead to foam cell formation with atherosclerosis development. Hypertriglyceridemic patients who overproduce apo B tend to develop small dense LDL particles which binds less avidly to the LDL receptor J Lipid Res. 1993 Feb;34(2):295-308.     such that they are not taken up by the liver, but instead stay longer in circulation making these particles more susceptible to oxidative modification with increased uptake by the macrophage scavenger receptors. Increased triglycerides can also facilitate thrombosis through increased coagulability and blood viscosity. 

Is very high levels of HDL too much of a good thing?

HDL values above 1.9 mmol/L seem to be associated with a longevity syndrome. Am Heart J. 1983 Nov;106(5 Pt 2):1191-200.  Transgenic mice expressing high levels of HDL  are protected from diet induced atherosclerosis. Circulation. 1996 Aug 15;94(4):713-7.