Many people have atherosclerotic plaques without having obvious risk factors. Alcoholism, smoking or obesity are often targeted. But measuring LDL cholesterol could help detect it earlier.
LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), known as “bad” cholesterol, is the cause of many heart attacks or strokes in people who are thought to be healthy. Even at levels considered normal, LDL-C, after age and male sex, is the main predictor of the presence of atherosclerosis, that is, loss of elasticity in the arteries. This atherosclerosis is caused by the accumulation of fatty substances (mainly bad cholesterol) in the inner lining of the arteries. This deposit then constitutes atheroma which can range from a simple plaque narrowing the arterial lumen, to obliteration of the vessel causing stroke or infarction among others.
Improve cardiovascular prevention
Research conducted at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, led by Dr Valentín Fuster, shows that these atherosclerotic plaques appear very early and sneakily.
Using the latest non-invasive vascular imaging technology, the study demonstrates that “ atherosclerotic plaques are present in 50% of middle-aged individuals (40-54 years) without classic cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, tobacco, overweight sedentary lifestyle, etc.). These findings could help improve cardiovascular prevention in the general population even before conventional risk factors appear. “. As LDL cholesterol is the main factor facilitating the appearance of these plaques, the authors urge “Therefore to opt for more aggressive treatments to reduce LDL-C, including for people considered to be at minimal risk”.
The research team hopes the new findings will have important clinical and societal implications. She advocates restrictive measures aimed at making LDL-C an evil to fight.
Thanks to vascular ultrasound, it is therefore possible to directly visualize the presence of cholesterol plaques in arteries such as the carotids, the aorta and the iliofemoral arteries very early on. With these approaches, a better assessment of the progression of the disease in an individual is possible.
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