Some people are fortunate enough to have an uncommon genetic variant that speeds the removal of harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from the blood - these lucky people have significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels throughout their lives.

In fact, recently published research has found that the 2.6 percent of blacks in the study who carried this beneficial genetic mutation had LDL cholesterol levels 28 percent lower than those without the mutation; and the 3.2 percent of whites with the mutation had LDL levels 15 percent lower.

Over a 15-year follow-up period, the rate of developing coronary heart disease was remarkably less in those with the genetically lowered LDL cholesterol levels.

Virtually all of the information we have about the benefits of lowering LDL cholesterol has come from relatively short-term studies, generally lasting about five years, in which drugs were used to reduce high levels of LDL cholesterol in middle-aged or older people, most of whom already have significant amounts of atherosclerotic plaques in their arteries.

This new study shows that how long one maintains lower LDL cholesterol levels may be just as important as how low those levels are. The take-home lesson from these results is that beginning efforts at an early age to lower one's LDL cholesterol and continuing them for life, yield the greatest heart health benefits.

Lifestyle measures, such as limiting saturated fat in the diet and controlling weight, may work for many people, but those with particularly high LDL cholesterol levels may benefit from starting drug treatment at a much earlier age than is now standard practice.