Apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A‐I: risk indicators of coronary heart disease and targets for lipid‐modifying therapy

Abstract

Although LDL cholesterol (LDL‐C) is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, other lipoproteins and their constituents, apolipoproteins, may play an important role in atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of apolipoprotein (apo) B, a constituent of atherogenic lipoproteins, and reduced levels of apo A‐I, a component of anti‐atherogenic HDL, are associated with increased cardiac events. Apo B, apo A‐I and the apo B/apo A‐I ratio have been reported as better predictors of cardiovascular events than LDL‐C and they even retain their predictive power in patients receiving lipid‐modifying therapy. Measurement of these apolipoproteins could improve cardiovascular risk prediction.