Lipids, Lipoproteins, and Cardiovascular Outcomes

Lipids and lipoproteins have key physiological roles, contributing to both cellular structure and function. However, derangements in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism caused by genetic and environmental factors can promote the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Integrating guideline-recommended screening of lipid concentrations is a critical step to inform tailored lifestyle and pharmacotherapeutic management strategies and reduce a patient’s risk of experiencing an adverse event. In this chapter, we review the cellular and molecular roles of lipids and lipoproteins, describe best practices for measuring lipid concentrations and estimating cardiovascular disease risk, and discuss different lipid disorders, focusing especially on current and future therapies for lipid lowering. Our review is meant to assist in recognizing dyslipidemia in a clinical setting, identifying the most frequent causes of potential lipid derangements, and determining appropriate strategies to guide shared decision-making with the goal of reducing cardiovascular disease risk.