Two research papers published Wednesday in the   journal Nature identified 95 genetic variants which contribute to hypercholesterolaemia.

Of the variants identified, 59 had not been known and thus provide new clues for developing new drugs to help treat or prevent cardiovascular disease, according to the researchers.

In an analysis of 46 studies involving more than 100 000 individuals, the researchers compared each individual's genetic make up to their levels of cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

The researchers noted that the 95 genetic variants identified as part of the analysis represent a quarter and a third of the inherited levels of cholesterol and triglyceride, respectively.

In a second paper, researchers found that manipulating one of these genes, known as SORT1, by injecting a drug that increased amounts of a particular liver protein, reduced cholesterol levels by 80 percent in mice.

Previous studies had identified the same genetic variant in humans who were prone to heart attacks.

"What we're all looking forward to is a comprehensive prevention, which I hope will come within the next five to 10 years, whereby we can combine environmental risk factors with the genetic factors to really prevent this disease either from developing or progressing to where it causes things like heart attacks and chest pain," noted study author Robert Roberts.