title: Cholesterol reduction and coronary artery disease. An overview of clinical trials up to 1986.
abstract: The 'cholesterol hypothesis' has been proven in a wealth of experimental, clinical, genetic and epidemiological studies. Cholesterol-lowering trials reviewed here have compared the effects of various treatment modalities on coronary heart disease reduction. They have shown that prevention of coronary heart disease depends on the magnitude and duration of cholesterol reduction, not on the way it was achieved. Collective evidence from all unconfounded trials indicates that most of the benefit of such intervention is achieved within relatively few years of starting the intervention. With the possible exception of adverse effects associated with clofibrate, cholesterol-lowering intervention has not produced any untoward effects that cause concern.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tikkanen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pyörälä
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol