Is cholesterol really the main cause of heart attacks and strokes? When is it necessary to treat with statins, and when is it not? What role does diet play, and how beneficial is physical activity?
This essay addresses a topic that is widely debated today and, in doing so, uniquely combines scientific rigor with a narrative structure. Using the metaphor of a trial, the prosecution and defense—with the support of expert witnesses—compare the key evidence. On one hand, there are the studies that helped identify cholesterol as the primary cardiovascular risk factor and led to the first pharmacological research aimed at lowering blood cholesterol levels. On the other, the interpretive limitations, the distinction between correlation and causation, the economic interests of pharmaceutical companies, and the questions that remain unanswered. A rigorous comparison of data, interpretations, and perspectives that invites readers to critically reexamine one of the most deeply held beliefs in modern medicine.
Biografia degli autori
Paola Arosio is a journalist who writes about medicine and health. She is a columnist for the Corriere della Sera and Il Sole 24 Ore Sanità and writes for various magazines.
