The chances of a person suffering from a cardiovascular event are less if a person has high density lipoprotein or good cholesterol in his body. The HDL cholesterol has always been tried to increase and the level of low density lipoprotein or the bad cholesterol should be decreased, as they can be the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

But the JUPITER study is quite contrary to the well recognized connection between HDL and cardiovascular risk. The study reveals that even if LDL has been lowered, the HDL concentrations in a person do not increase cardiovascular risk.

About 17,800 volunteers are enrolled in JUPITER, which is a primary cardiovascular prevention trial. About 8,900 volunteers were given 20 mg of statin drug, Rosuvastatin, on an everyday basis. It showed reduced LDL cholesterol. The HDL concentration had no effect on cardiovascular risk.

The level of HDL concentration cannot be used to predict the "residual vascular risk among patients. with very low concentrations of LDL cholesterol".

A 23% reduction in cardiovascular risk for every 1.03 mmol/L reduction of LDL was found in the JUPITER trial. Statins were used to achieve the decrease.

Until some big trials are undertaken, the association of HDL and LDL cholesterol and secondary cardiovascular disease cannot be established.