Cumulative Exposure to LDL and Cardiovascular Risk

The risk of cardiovascular disease is strongly tied to the cumulative exposure to LDL cholesterol levels over time. The longer LDL levels are elevated, the higher the individual's risk becomes. The traditional cutoff of 100 milligrams per deciliter is considered arbitrary as the risk is actually cumulative and on a gradient based on the degree of elevation and the number of years exposed to high LDL levels. This cumulative exposure to LDL from childhood through adulthood significantly impacts an individual's risk of cardiovascular diseases, making it a leading cause of death globally.