The importance of lowering cholesterol in patients with coronary heart disease.

Patients with prior manifestations of cardiovascular disease account for about 50% of all myocardial infarctions and 70% of deaths due to coronary disease. The benefits of lowering elevated cholesterol levels in patients with coronary disease are well documented. Recent clinical trials indicate that these benefits, in terms of reduced risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, extend even to patients with "average" cholesterol levels and support the importance of reaching a target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of < or = 100 mg/dl. These findings argue in favor of attaining and maintaining optimal lipid targets for secondary (and primary) prevention of atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients at risk.