On löydetty ainakin 14 itsenäistä riskitekijää, jotka aiheuttavat valtimoiden ahtautumisen iän myötä. LDL kolesteroli ja kokonaiskolesteroli ovat vain kaksi näistä syistä. Jäljelle jää vielä 12 muuta aterogeenista tekijää, joita olisi syytä tarkkailla ja hoitaa, jotta verisuonisto pysyisi terveenä mahdollisimman kauan. Statiinit voivat auttaa alentamaan LDL-ja kokonaiskolesterolia, ja ne voivat jossain määrin estää verisuonten tulehdusta, mutta paljon muita toimenpiteitä tarvitaan verisuonten optimaalisen terveyden ylläpitämiseksi.

LDL (alhaisen tiheyden lipoproteiini) kuljettaa kolesterolia maksasta kehon eri solukkoihin. Kaikki ihmiset tarvitsevat LDL-kolesterolia elimistössään erilaisiin tehtäviin. Ikääntymisen myötä elimistö usein alkaa valmistaa liian paljon LDL-kolesterolia, joka voi johtaa kolesterolin kertymiseen valtimoiden seinämiin ja lopulta tukkeumiin verisuonissa. LDL-tasojen mittaaminen hyödyttää niitä, jotka hyötyvät LDL:ää laskevista toimenpiteistä. On kuitenkin kyse muustakin kuin LDL:n absoluuttisista määristä. Lääkkeet ja ravinteet, jotka estävät LDL:n hapettumista (= antioksidantit) on havaittu suojelevan sepelvaltimotaudilta (6-14). Olisi myös tärkeää mitata LDL-parkikkeleiden koko, koska pienet ja tiiviit LDL-partikkelit aiheuttavat muita helpommin sepelvaltimoahtaumia kuin isot ja kevyet LDL-parikkelit (15-17). Nykyisen tiedon valossa LDL-tasot olisi hyvä saada pidettyä alle 2.6 mmol/L useimmilla ihmisillä. Optimaalinen taso kokonaiskolesterolille on 4.6-5.2 mmol/L. Tutkimusten mukaan alle 4.6 mmol/L tasot altistavat masennukselle ja syövälle (42 - 46).

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