Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as myocardial and cerebral infarction, and peripheral vascular disease have existed for millennia, and were described by ancient Greek physicians. Despite this antiquity, until the mid-20th century, CVD was largely considered an inevitable consequence of aging. The basis of these diseases is atherosclerosis, where cholesterol-rich lipid deposits thicken the walls and narrow the lumens of medium and large arteries. While the relationship between cholesterol, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular health is now relatively well understood, debate persists around the role of triglycerides and various lipoprotein fractions. The road to our current understanding has been convoluted and controversial, often hindered by a tendency to segregate the fields of medicine, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology. Over centuries, people from diverse fields have investigated lipids and CVD from different angles. Gradually, their collective efforts bridged gaps, leading to increasingly advanced diagnostic and treatment approaches. Despite this progress, CVD is still the leading cause of mortality worldwide, underscoring the ongoing need for lipid research.