It found that lowering cholesterol saved lives among people whose hearts were still healthy because their heart attacks had caused minimal damage. Twenty-four percent of these people died during the 10 years after their cholesterol-lowering operations, compared with 39% in a comparison group who tried to lower their cholesterol through diet alone.

In the study, 421 people who recovered from heart attacks underwent the surgery, while a comparison group of 417 people was treated with diet alone. At the start of the study, their average cholesterol levels were 251. The surgery lowered their cholesterol 23%.

The surgery "has a role in the management of patients with high cholesterol who have had a heart attack," [Henry Buchwald] said. "It is eminently logical to extend all cholesterol-lowering therapy, including this, to patients with high cholesterol who have not had a heart attack."