The American journal of the medical sciences
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National cholesterol treatment guidelines include a low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (<40 mg/dL) as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) that should be considered when making decisions on treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. ⋯ These data suggest a graded association exists between lower levels of HDL-cholesterol and CHD across the full range of LDL-cholesterol levels. As interventions targeting HDL levels are developed, the combinatorial effects of lower HDL levels with various levels of LDL-cholesterol should be examined.