Why is it Done?
The association of heart disease and cholesterol has long been established. Studies consistently report a higher risk for death from heart disease with high (200 and over) total cholesterol levels. The higher the cholesterol the greater the risk. So, for example, according to a 2000 study, men with cholesterol levels over 240 mg/dL have a risk that is 2.15 to 3.63 of those whose cholesterol is below 200. Only 40% of people with high cholesterol levels actually die of heart disease, however, and experts cannot yet define which people are most at risk from high cholesterol levels. On an encouraging note, however, mortality rates associated with coronary artery disease have dropped by over one-half during the past 30 years. Some experts estimate that about 30% of the decline is due to better cholesterol management. Every time a person’s cholesterol level drops by a point, the risk of heart disease drops by 2%.