Trials of the effects of drugs and hormones on lipids and lipoproteins.

Recent trials on the efficacy of drugs and hormones in lowering cholesterol and correcting lipoprotein profiles are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the risk-benefit ratio, which determines the clinical value of therapeutic regimens. Whereas 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors have set a standard for treatment of hyperlipidaemia, the role of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women in the prevention of coronary artery disease has more recently become better defined.