Hypoalphalipoproteinemia (low high density lipoprotein) as a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Low HDL levels are inversely related to risk for coronary heart disease. Several different mechanisms may account for this relationship. First, low HDL levels may be directly atherogenic; second, a low HDL often denotes high levels of other atherogenic lipoproteins (for example, remnants); and third, a low HDL frequently accompanies other coronary risk factors (for example, insulin resistance, diabetes, and raised blood pressure). This multiplicity of relationships probably explains the power of low HDL levels to predict acute coronary events.