Lipids and lipoproteins in cardiovascular diseases: a classification

Lipids and lipoproteins, their metabolism, and their transport are essential contributing factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as they regulate plasma cholesterol concentration, enhancing cholesterol uptake by macrophages, leading to foam cell formation and ultimately resulting in plaque formation and inflammation. However, lipids and lipoproteins have cardioprotective functions as well, such as preventing oxidation of proatherogenic molecules and downregulating inflammatory proteins.