Non–High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality

Top Cited Papers
Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
ELEVATED LEVELS of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) have been consistently associated with an increased risk for development of and death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD).1-5 The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that LDL-C values be used to estimate the lipoprotein-related risks for CVD in individuals.1 In addition, current treatment recommendations are based on discrete LDL-C level. Recently, however, the use of non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non–HDL-C) level has been suggested as a better tool for risk and treatment assessments than LDL-C level.6 (Non–HDL-C level is defined as the difference between total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-C levels.) The rationale for this recommendation is that non–HDL-C includes all cholesterol present in lipoprotein particles considered to be atherogenic, including LDL, lipoprotein(a), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) remnants; and estimation of LDL-C level using the formula of Friedewald7 (Friedewald formula) can be inaccurate.