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Review
. 2022 Mar;106(2):285-298.
doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2021.11.005. Epub 2022 Feb 2.

What is the Optimal Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol?

Affiliations
Review

What is the Optimal Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol?

Andrew Gagel et al. Med Clin North Am. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

One's total atherosclerotic plaque burden is related to his or her cumulative exposure to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other apoB-containing lipoproteins. Long-term exposure to lower LDL-C levels is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events compared with shorter term exposure to lower LDL-C. New lipid-reducing agents have been able to reduce LDL-C to previously unseen levels, showing efficacy in safely decreasing rates of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in primary and secondary prevention populations. To date, an LDL-C level less than which there is no clinical benefit has not yet been identified.

Keywords: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); Cerebrovascular accident (CVA); Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); Peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure A. Gagel, F. Zghyer, and C. Samuel have nothing to disclose. S.S. Martin has research support from the American Heart Association (20SFRN35380046 and COVID19–811000), PCORI (ME-2019C1-15328), National Institutes of Health (P01 HL108800), the Aetna Foundation, the David and June Trone Family Foundation, the Pollin Digital Innovation Fund, the PJ Schafer Cardiovascular Research Fund, Sandra and Larry Small, CASCADE FH, Apple, Google, and Amgen. He has served as a consultant to Akcea, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Esperion, Kaneka, Novo Nordisk, Quest Diagnostics, Regeneron, REGENXBIO, Sanofi, and 89bio. He is a co-inventor on a system to estimate LDL cholesterol levels, patent application pending.

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