title: Protection from Cardiovascular Disease Due to Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in African Black Populations: Myth or Reality?
abstract: The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in sub-Saharan Africa has increased over the last decade. Despite this, African Black populations present with relatively low incidences of coronary heart disease and ischemic heart disease, which may be attributed to their lower total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, compared with White populations. Commensurate with these lower lipid levels, it was believed that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations would be higher in Black populations compared with their White counterparts. This is based on data from previous studies of African and African American populations; however, recent studies conducted in Africa found similar or lower HDL-C concentrations in Black compared with White individuals. Current research, therefore, suggests that HDL-C may not be a good indicator of cardiovascular risk and future research should focus on HDL quality (vs quantity), by measuring HDL functionality and subclass.
authors: Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa and South African Medical Research Council Inter-University Cape Heart Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: Woudberg
authors: Non-Communicable Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council.
authors: Julia H
authors: JH
authors: Goedecke
authors: Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa and South African Medical Research Council Inter-University Cape Heart Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Sandrine
authors: S
authors: Lecour
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D044383:Black People; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: African Population Studies; Cardiovascular Risk; High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol