The oversimplified view that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is bad has led to misunderstandings of the relationship between cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk. Research suggests that people with evidence of heart disease tend to have more small dense LDL particles, whereas healthy individuals tend to possess more large buoyant LDL particles. Even though small dense particles carry less cholesterol, they are more apt to deposit in the artery wall and become oxidized, thus leading to artery damage. In this clip, Dr. Ronald Krauss discusses that in clinical practice, cholesterol particle size may be more relevant than the amount of cholesterol.