Beneficial effects of simvastatin may be due to non-lipid actions

EDITOR,--On the basis of new trial evidence Michael Oliver and colleagues claim that there is no longer any controversy about cholesterol lowering as secondary prevention of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.1 To reach this conclusion they have disregarded many conflicting findings.

According to Oliver and colleagues, the first principle of the lipid hypothesis is the association between a raised plasma cholesterol concentration and risk of coronary heart disease. This association, however, has been found mainly in people without previous disease. A strong, graded, positive correlation has …