Diabetes, Blood Lipids, and the Role of Obesity in Coronary Heart Disease Risk for Women

Abstract

Diabetes and a low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level are associated with each other and with a higher coronary heart disease risk in women. Both are strongly associated with obesity. Persons aged 49-82 were characterized, after overnight fast, for blood lipids by the method of Fredrickson and Levy, then followed for the subsequent development of coronary heart disease. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was associated with coronary heart disease risk in women, but fasting triglycerides were not associated with risk after allowing for the association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and diabetes. A low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the presence of diabetes appeared to raise the coronary heart disease risk in women relative to that of men.