Modulation of high-density lipoproteins in a population in istanbul, Turkey, with low levels of high-density lipoproteins.

The extent to which high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels can be increased in patients with low HDL cholesterol is important because low HDL cholesterol levels increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). During the past 14 years, we have assessed risk factors in Turks, a population in which extremely low HDL cholesterol levels (mean 36 mg/dl in men, 42 mg/dl in women) are a prime CHD risk factor. Although genetically determined to a significant extent, these low HDL cholesterol levels can be modulated by lifestyle factors, as in other populations.