The Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study: implications for preventive cardiology in the general adult US population.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of death in the United States. Fibrous plaques develop in 77% to 78% of men before age 30. The mean low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) level in men aged 25 to 30 years is 117 mg/dL. In the Air Force/Texas Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study, lovastatin therapy was associated with a 40% reduction in risk of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction. The reduction in risk of myocardial infarction was independent of baseline LDL-C level with baseline LDL-C levels as low as 125 mg/dL. The National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines should be simplified by recommending that LDL-C levels be less than 100 mg/dL in all adults in the United States.
Whitney
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The Heart & Vascular Institute of Texas, 1933 Northeast Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78217-5587, USA.
D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000517:prevention & control; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008148:Lovastatin