The primary interventions in the presence of abnormal lipid levels to reduce CVD risk are reductions in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

However, all studies (clinical and survival) have shown that when elevated total and LDL cholesterol levels are reduced by lipid-lowering drugs, cardiovascular mortality and overall mortality are reduced by 30%–40%.

This means that most patients, despite receiving the best medical care available, are still at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke).

Currently, elevated plasma triglyceride levels are an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, as evidenced by a wide collection of publications describing this phenomenon.