Oxidized lipids and lipoproteins: indices of risk or targets for management

Abstract

While it is well accepted that individuals with high cholesterol levels, in particular high LDL-C levels, are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, there is increasing evidence that interventions that focus on reductions of LDL-C alone may not stop atherosclerotic disease progression and prevent clinical events. Recent data would suggest that inflammation status and oxidative stress may contribute to disease progression and cardiovascular events, even when LDL-C has been treated to target levels. The assessment of oxidative stress is a complex problem since we live in a high oxygen environment and, under normal conditions, many metabolic processes require oxygen and produce oxygen radicals. In this review, we will focus on the different indices of lipoprotein-associated oxidation that have been examined, experimental and clinical evidence for their role in atherosclerosis, and the effect of various interventions on the modulation of these indices.