High-density lipoprotein functionality in coronary artery disease.

The role of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in cardiovascular atheroprotection is well established. Epidemiological data have clearly demonstrated an inverse relationship between HDL levels and the risk for coronary artery disease, which is independent of the low-density lipoprotein levels. However, more recent data provide evidence that high HDL levels are not always protective and that under certain conditions may even confer an increased risk.

New and emerging risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Traditional risk factors such as family history, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking cannot account for the entire risk for incident coronary events. Several other potential risk factors have been identified in an effort to improve risk assessment for CHD.