Mar 6 2024NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute In some cases, these levels -; specifically high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, often thought of as "bad cholesterol," -; were linked to plaque buildup and cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke.
Jessica A. Reese, Ph.D., Epidemiologist, Center for American Indian Health Research, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City "This research supports efforts to identify ways, such as increased screenings and culturally relevant education, to improve heart health and support younger generations of Native Americans," said Mona Puggal, M.P.H., an epidemiologist in the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute , part of NIH.
About 5.5 years after the baseline measurements, 19 participants -; about one-third of those with detectable plaque -; had signs of their plaque getting worse. Among the 1,104 who did not have detectable plaque at the beginning, 109 had signs of it during the second check-in. Researchers linked high levels of LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and other non-HDL cholesterol to these outcomes.