These chapters go into detailed descriptions of the methods and clinical significance of measuring the traditional lipid risk factors (e.g., total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol) and the less traditional, more novel, and potentially relevant measurements of apolipoproteins, lipoprotein(a), lipid peroxidation, lipases, cholesterol ester transfer protein, lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase, phospholipids,
nonesterified fatty acids, triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants, and LDL receptors.
To place these important observations in context, we wish to comment on the following: (a) the relevance of cascade effects in influencing the unbound concentrations of numerous other drugs such as aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents; (b) the importance of a similar cascade effect as a mechanism that can increase free thyroid hormone concentrations; and (c) the potential to overestimate the in vivo importance of apparent serum concentrations of
nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) as direct or indirect inhibitors of hormone or drug binding.