High Density Lipoproteins, Dyslipidemia, and Coronary Heart Disease

In this book and atlas entitled High Density Lipoproteins, Dyslipidemia, and Coronary Heart Disease, I am indebted to the many chapter authors who have contributed their writing as well as their insights. The work grew out of a meeting on high density lipoproteins (HDLs), chaired by me and Dr. Vassilis Zannis of Boston University, and held on June 19 and 20, 2009 in Newport, Rhode Island, as a satellite meeting following the 15th International Symposium on Atherosclerosis, held in Boston. In the introduction our understanding of overall lipoprotein metabolism is reviewed, as well as the common genetic lipoprotein disorders associated with premature coronary heart disease (CHD). These familial disorders include lipoprotein(a) excess, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and low HDL), combined hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and high triglycerides often with low HDL), hypoalphalipoproteinemia (low HDL), and hyperc- lesterolemia. We discuss the management of these disorders. We also review other disorders including cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis, phytosterolemia, defciency of apolipoprotein B, and severe hypertriglyceridemia. The latter disorder can be associated with pancreatitus.Thereafter, the focus is on HDL, beginning with chapters on the regulation of apolipop- tein (apo) A-I gene expression, the composition, remodeling, and the metabolism of HDL particles, as well as HDL structure, function, and its anti-infammatory properties.