Coronary heart disease (CHD) has been the major cause of mortality for at least 50 years. One of the components of CHD is atherosclerosis. Over the years, many studies have shown that a high level of blood cholesterol contributed to the plaque in this condition and was thus a major risk factor for heart attacks. Scientists then assumed that lowered blood levels of cholesterol would lower CHD risk. The risk level was lowered regularly, with the median total cholesterol range for initiating drug therapy at 340-mg/dL in 1983, 300-in 1986, and 240-259 in 1990. In the latter year, dietary therapy was instituted at levels of 200-219 mg/dL of total cholesterol.
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