Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: current status as cardiovascular marker.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review, we summarize the evidence with regard to the rationale of using nonhigh density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) as a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor, in relation to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (apoB).

RECENT FINDINGS: In the 2015 National Lipid Association Annual Summary non-HDL-C is considered a coprimary target, apart from LDL-C. The other data published in the last 18 months about non-HDL-C support all the previous published data. There are no recent findings, which we deem to cause a change of the current opinion about non-HDL-C as a predictor for CVD.

SUMMARY: The existing evidence supports the claim that non-HDL-C is superior to LDL-C in CVD risk estimation.