Healthy adults who don’t keep their LDL-C, or ‘bad cholesterol’, in check are more likely to die prematurely from cardiovascular disease than peers with lower cholesterol levels, a US study suggests.Researchers examined data on 36,375 adults with no history of heart disease or diabetes and a low 10-year risk for events like heart attacks or strokes. Most had levels of the type of cholesterol that builds up in blood vessels and can lead to blood clots and heart attacks, known as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), below the threshold that usually leads doctors to prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs.
During the study follow-up period of about 27 years, 1,086 people died of cardiovascular disease and 598 died from coronary heart disease.
Compared to people with very low LDL-C levels under 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood, individuals with LDL-C levels ranging from 100 to 159 mg/dL had a 30 to 40% higher risk of dying of cardiovascular disease. With LDL-C levels of 160 mg/dL to 189 mg/DL, people had a 90% higher risk of death from cardiovascular causes. LDL-C levels of at least 190 mg/DL carried 70% greater risk.