Having high levels of 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) over your lifetime causes buildup in your arteries, which increases your risk of heart disease — the more LDL and the longer you have it, the higher your risk.

32

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

32

Community contributions welcome

32

Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Evidence from genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies. A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

2017 Aug 21

The study looks at the same thing as the claim—whether LDL cholesterol causes heart disease—and finds strong proof that it does, using data from many large studies.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Evidence from genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies. A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel

Score: 32

DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx144

Similar Assertions

When you have too much 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) in your blood, it sticks to the walls of your arteries and builds up like gunk, making them narrow and stiff — which raises your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.

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High cholesterol might not be the main reason for heart disease, and having too little cholesterol could actually be risky — so the old idea that cholesterol causes heart problems might not tell the whole story, especially for preventing heart issues in healthy people.

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People with higher levels of 'bad' cholesterol in their blood are more likely to have heart attacks or other heart problems.

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The longer and higher your 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) is, the greater your chance of heart disease — and starting with high levels when young makes it even riskier over time.

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In middle-aged and older adults in China who aren’t at high risk for heart disease, having either too low or too high 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) is linked to a higher chance of dying from any cause or heart problems — the safest zone seems to be around 106 to 118 mg/dL.

59

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