Too much of a good thing: Very high HDL cholesterol levels can be dangerous
Very high levels of "good" HDL cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and mortality, according to a new study from the USA presented at the European Congress of cardiology.
Very high levels of "good" HDL cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and mortality. Dr. Marc Allard-Ratick (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA) reported at a press conference of the European Cardiology Congress that study participants with HDL values above 60 milligrams per deciliter (1.5 mmo/L) in particular had an almost 50 percent increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or suffering a heart attack, with values between 41 and 60 mg/deciliter. From 25 to 29 August, 31,000 participants from 150 countries will gather in Munich - the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) is one of the world's largest medical congresses.
The study is based on the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank and examined the relationship between HDL cholesterol levels and the risk of infarction and mortality in 5,965 people with an average age of 63 years, most of whom already had heart disease.
These study results are significant because they confirm existing data that very high HDL cholesterol levels may not have a protective effect, and also because - unlike most other available data - this study was primarily conducted with patients with existing heart disease, says Dr. Allard-Ratick. However, further investigations are necessary to understand these mechanisms in detail: "One thing is clear: the mantra of HDL cholesterol as'good' cholesterol will no longer apply to everyone.
HDL is often referred to as "good cholesterol" because HDL molecules support the transport of cholesterol from the vessel wall and can thus reduce the risk of congested arteries and arteriosclerosis.
Original publication
ESC Abstract "Elevated HDL-C is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes" Pressekonferenz; Is this really good for you? Challenging conventional wisdom. Session: HDL cholesterol - A moving target
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