Figure 1
Showing on the ordinate is LDL-C in milligram years. 5,000 mg-years designates the minimum clinical threshold required for coronary atherosclerosis to induce symptoms. Showing on the abscissa is the chronological age in years. A plasma LDL-C of 125 mg-dL after 40 years of exposure is enough to break through the clinical threshold. In contrast, a plasma LDL-C of 80 mg/dL requires exposure up to age 60 to reach the clinical threshold. Decreasing the plasma LDL-C to 50 mg/dL requires exposure to age 100 years before clinical symptoms appear. Thus it is theoretically possible to delay the onset of the first myocardial infarction until age 100 years. LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol