Genetic tests for familial hypercholesterolemia.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the biggest killer in Western society, with many contributory risk factors, including cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. Genetic abnormalities in apolipoprotein E or angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)1 have been associated with CAD/longevity2 in the general population, but the link between these polymorphisms and disease is, as yet, less than clearcut.