The AMA's Campaign Against Cholesterol-Reply

Abstract

In Reply. — The letter by Dr Stare takes issue with the Campaign Against Cholesterol announced recently by the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr Stare objects to the campaign on the basis that the cholesterol factor is of minor importance as a risk factor in cardiovascular disease and suggests that our efforts might be directed in different ways. That cholesterol is of minor importance as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease is a subjective opinion. The recent report of the expert panel organized by the National Cholesterol Education Program certainly supports the contention that reducing the level of cholesterol is an important means of reducing morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. Many well-designed studies, including the Lipid Research Clinics Coronary Primary Prevention Trial, the Framingham Study, and the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, indicate that elevated levels of blood cholesterol contribute to early death from coronary heart disease. In fact,