Reports From the Field: Lipoprotein count can predict heart attack risk
February 1, 2002 less than 1 minute read
Reports From the Field: Lipoprotein count can predict heart attack risk
The size and number of lipoproteins in the body can predict an individual’s risk of a heart attack, particularly in women, a University of Pittsburgh study has found.
"The higher the number of small LDL particles, the greater the woman’s chance of a heart attack," says Lewis Kuller, MD, professor and chair, department of epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
Researchers found that the heart attack risk was as much as 2.45 times greater for women who had the largest number of small LDL particles compared to women with fewer particles.
The association is much stronger for women than for men, he adds. Physicians may be in a better position to initiate therapy to reduce the risk of heart attack by assessing this new marker, Kuller says.
Lipoprotein size and distribution can be improved by diet and exercise as well as drug therapy, he adds.
Kuller presented his findings from a study of 1,849 participants in the university’s Cardiovascular Health Study at the American Heart Association meeting in November.
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