The significance of measuring non-HDL-cholesterol

The third Adult Treatment Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program has recently issued revised guidelines for the treatment of cholesterol in adults. Increased attention to the metabolic syndrome and diabetes, including the inaccuracy of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) measurement in these patients because of elevated triglycerides is highlighted. To overcome the inaccuracy of the Friedewald equation in calculating LDL-C when the triglycerides are elevated, measuring non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL-C) may provide a better means to follow these patients toward their treatment goals. Recently, non-HDL-C was shown to be a better predictor of cardiovascular death than LDL-C, even in patients with triglyceride levels below 200 mg/dL. The authors review the basis for using non-HDL-C as a treatment target for cholesterol, in comparison with other lipoproteins.