title: Current status of the cholesterol controversy.
abstract: It has been established that elevated levels of serum cholesterol, particularly of the low-density lipoprotein fraction, are associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction. There is no doubt that both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and total plasma cholesterol levels can be lowered by diet and/or by drug therapy in almost all patients. The true controversy lies in whether intervention is associated with an actual reduction in the incidence of myocardial infarction. A great deal of circumstantial evidence suggests a positive correlation, but to date this can not yet be supported by direct data from clinical trials performed in man. It is, therefore, not certain whether a lowering of the serum cholesterol level results in a simultaneous reduction of risk.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol