Does High LDL-C Help Elderly People Live Longer? A Review of 19 Studies
Dr. Kumar’s Take:
A systematic review of 19 cohort studies raises serious questions about the conventional approach to cholesterol management in elderly individuals. The study found that in 92% of participants, those with the highest levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lived the longest. No study showed the opposite trend. This challenges the widely accepted “cholesterol hypothesis” that LDL-C is inherently harmful and suggests that guidelines recommending statin therapy for elderly people may need urgent reevaluation.