Atherosclerosis: Cholesterol Management

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in the United States and the industrialized world. The principal components of CVD are coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, heart failure, and congenital heart disorders. Atherosclerosis, the chronic inflammatory arterial wall disease associated with the deposition of cholesterol into arterial plaques and hardening of the arteries, is a major contributor to CHD and is the principal cause of heart attacks and stroke. The risk factor most closely associated with a higher incidence of CHD is serum cholesterol levels. This report summarizes efforts in the pharmaceutical industry to manage cholesterol levels to reduce risk for CHD due to atherosclerosis.