Protection from Cardiovascular Disease Due to Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in African Black Populations: Myth or Reality?

Abstract

<p style="tab-stops: dotted 13.0cm;"> </p><p class="Pa7">The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in sub-Saharan Africa has increased over the last decade. Despite this, African Black populations present with relatively low inci­dences of coronary heart disease and isch­emic heart disease, which may be attributed to their lower total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol con­centrations, compared with White popula­tions. Commensurate with these lower lipid levels, it was believed that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentra­tions would be higher in Black populations compared with their White counterparts. This is based on data from previous studies of African and African American popula­tions; however, recent studies conducted in Africa found similar or lower HDL-C con­centrations in Black compared with White individuals. Current research, therefore, suggests that HDL-C may not be a good indicator of cardiovascular risk and future research should focus on HDL quality (vs quantity), by measuring HDL functionality and subclass.</p><p class="Pa7"><em>Ethn Dis.</em>2016;26(4):553-560; doi:10.18865/ed.26.4.553</p><p style="tab-stops: dotted 13.0cm;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>