Cholesterol Conundrum.

The article discusses research on whether lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and using cholesterol-lowering medication can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke. The physiological effects of HDL and LDL, the formation of atherosclerotic plaque, and medications which can lower cholesterol such as statins, ezetimibe, and niacin. The author examines clinical studies such as the ENHANCE study in 2008, which found that a combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin, a statin, did not reduce the thickness of artery walls, a 2009 study on niacin, and a study by the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute which found that niacin and a statin did not reduce risks.