High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and ischemic heart disease risk in Korean men with cardiac risk

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John A Linton1, Heejin Kimm, Heechoul Ohrr

  • 1Department of Family Medicine, International Health Care Center, Severance Hospital.

Circulation Journal : Official Journal of the Japanese Circulation Society
|May 16, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and high triglycerides (TG) are independent risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD) in Korean men. This study confirms their independent association with increased IHD incidence.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Epidemiology
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Preventive Cardiology

Background:

  • Epidemiological studies suggest low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) is a heart disease risk factor, but its relation with triglycerides (TG) is uncertain.
  • This study investigates the independent effects of serum TG and HDL-C on ischemic heart disease (IHD) incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the independent association of serum triglycerides and HDL-C levels with the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD).
  • To clarify the role of lipid parameters in cardiovascular risk stratification.

Main Methods:

  • A 14-year prospective cohort study involving 29,171 Korean men.
  • Analysis of incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) over 379,539 person-years.
  • Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess risk, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

  • Men with the lowest HDL-C (<30 mg/dl) had a significantly higher risk of IHD (HR 1.57) compared to those with the highest HDL-C (≥60 g/dl).
  • The association between HDL-C and IHD risk persisted even after adjusting for TG in multivariate models (HR 1.38).
  • Elevated TG levels also showed an independent association with increased IHD risk.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated triglycerides (TG) and reduced high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) are confirmed as independent risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD).
  • These findings highlight the importance of monitoring both TG and HDL-C for cardiovascular risk assessment in Korean men.
Abstract

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