Predictive value of plasma lipid levels for coronary artery disease (CAD)

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world including Pakistan. CAD events are caused by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors, the effects of which are mainly mediated through cardiovascular risk factors. The major risk factors for CAD include hypertension, dyslipidemia, family history of premature atheroscleclerotic disease, obesity and sedentary lifestyle. However, it is clear from the existing literature that dyslipidemia plays a central role. This study was designed to examine the plasma lipid profile in coronary artery disease patients of both sexes receiving clinical care at various government hospitals in Lahore. Blood samples were collected from a total of 500 CAD patients and 250 healthy (control) subjects and subsequently analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels. These measurements showed that TC, LDL, TG and VLDL levels were significantly elevated, whereas HDL levels were significantly reduced in CAD patients as compared to ethnically matched controls ( p