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(Circulation. 2005;111:e89-e91.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiology Patient Page

The "Good Cholesterol"

High-Density Lipoprotein

Peter P. Toth, MD, PhD

From the University of Illinois School of Medicine, Peoria.

Correspondence to Dr Peter Toth, Sterling Rock Falls Clinic, 101 E Miller Rd, Sterling, IL 61081. E-mail peter.toth@srfc.com

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	Introduction

 
Atherosclerosis is an insidious and dangerous disease: a progressive chemical and structural injury to the blood vessels in such critical organs as the heart, brain, and kidney. The hallmark feature of atherosclerosis is the buildup of cholesterol into lesions called plaques that can reduce the flow of blood. When the delivery of blood to heart muscle drops enough, this can result in the development of chest pain or angina. Angina indicates that the heart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen to carry out its pumping functions. Atherosclerotic plaques can also suddenly rupture, develop a blood clot on their surface, and completely choke off a portion of heart muscle. This chain of events frequently results in heart attack or sudden death without warning. Atherosclerotic disease also predisposes people to stroke, peripheral vascular disease, lower-extremity amputation, and loss of kidney function, among other devastating outcomes.

Despite all that we have learned in the past 50 years, atherosclerosis remains the No. 1 killer of men and women and the chief reason for loss of quality of life in Western countries. We are, however, gaining ground. Considerable research has revealed the importance of factors that increase an individual’s risk for developing this disease. Among the most important of these risk factors are elevated blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, obesity, inactivity, smoking, and cholesterol levels.

When your physician measures your cholesterol level, he or she is looking at your lipid profile, which comprises low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, or the "bad" cholesterol), triglycerides (blood fats), and high-density . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Issue Highlights
Circulation 2005 111: 533. [Extract] [Full Text]