Association of Genetic Variants Related to Combined Exposure to Lower Low-Density Lipoproteins and Lower Systolic Blood Pressure With Lifetime Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Numerous randomized trials have demonstrated that treatment for up to 5 years with therapies that reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.^1-3 In addition, mendelian randomization studies suggest that the benefit of exposure to lower LDL-C levels and lower SBP may accumulate over time.^4-8 Because the biological effects of LDL-C and SBP may be cumulative, long-term exposure to the combination of both could potentially substantially reduce the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease.^9-11 However, the association of combined lifetime exposure to both lower LDL-C and lower SBP with the risk of cardiovascular disease has not been reliably quantified.