A new study published in JAMA Cardiology suggests that greater exposure to LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) during young adulthood and middle age is tied to a significant increase in the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), irrespective of lipid levels in midlife.

Pooled data from four prospective studies, which included more than 18,000 participants, having an average age of 56 years, was assessed. Researchers evaluated the potential link between cumulative LDL-C exposure, time-weighted average (TWA)-LDL cholesterol, and change in LDL-C slope from young adulthood to middle age and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Following adjustment for covariates, people with the greatest cumulative exposure and highest TWA-LDL cholesterol levels had 1.6 times and 1.7 times higher risk of CHD, respectively, in comparison with people with the lowest cumulative exposure and lowest TWA-LDL levels… (Medscape)