Is Plasma Cholesterol Raised with Human Atherosclerosis?

Abstract

Atherosclerosis was first described by Marchand in 1904. Windaus and Aschoff found increased cholesterol ester in these lesions (1910), confirmed by Schoenheimer (1926). Comparisons of plasma cholesterol levels in people with atherosclerosis and controls yielded conflicting results until 1948. After this, larger numbers of subjects and statistical methods showed average total cholesterol was higher in CHD patients. In 1950–1955 the association was narrowed to low density or β-lipoprotein cholesterol.

Keys et al. (from 1954) found in Mediterranean countries, Japanese and Africans that serum cholesterols were lower and there was less CHD than in Western countries. It emerged that average serum cholesterols in affluent countries might not be normal cholesterol levels. Years 1904–1955.