News and Features Related to Cholesterol Management
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Raising HDL Levels May Not Lower Heart Attack Risk
May 16, 2012 -- It is widely believed that raising "good" cholesterol levels lowers heart attack risk, but surprising new research finds evidence that this may not be the case. Genetic studies failed to show a link between higher concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower
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Cholesterol Levels in the U.S. on the Decline
April 25, 2012 -- The number of American adults with high cholesterol is on the decline, according to the latest data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Slightly more than 13% of U.S. adults had high cholesterol in 2009-2010 -- a 27% drop from the 18% with high cholesterol a decad
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Biologic Drug Lowers LDL Cholesterol
March 26, 2012 (Chicago) -- An experimental biologic drug called REGN727 may help lower levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol when a statin drug isn't enough, researchers report. In a new study, REGN727 (which does not have a brand name yet) cut LDL cholesterol by up to 72% when given in addition to the
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Taurine May Help Women's Hearts
March 2, 2012 -- Taurine, an amino acid found in dark meat poultry and other foods, may be good for some people's hearts, according to a new study. "People with high cholesterol may have a reduced risk of coronary heart disease if they have a high level of taurine in their diet," says researcher Yu
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Statin Risks Outweighed by Statin Benefits
March 1, 2012 -- Are the benefits of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs worth their risks? It seems that every week there's news about statins. One week there's a scare about possible new or underappreciated risks. The next week, you hear they are the best thing ever. What's the truth? To answer comm
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New Warnings on Cholesterol-Lowering Statins
Feb. 28, 2012 -- Memory loss, confusion, high blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes are possible side effects of the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, the FDA warns. Brand name and generic versions of statin drugs must carry these warnings on their labels, the FDA today announced. The
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Statins May Raise Diabetes Risk in Older Women
Jan. 9, 2012 -- Use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may be associated with an increased risk of diabetes in middle-aged and older women, a new study suggests. Experts say the evidence as a whole suggests that the risks are slight and that for most women who take statins, the benefits for preven
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FAQ: Generic Lipitor
Nov. 29, 2011 -- The cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor -- the best-selling prescription drug in world history -- will be available as a generic drug beginning Nov. 30. Lipitor's generic name is atorvastatin. Two generic drugmakers, Ranbaxy and Watson, can start selling generic atorvastatin in the U.
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Pill May Boost HDL 'Good' Cholesterol
Nov. 15, 2011 (Orlando, Fla.) -- Once again, an experimental pill that boosts levels of HDL "good" cholesterol has shown promising results in a mid-stage study. In a three-month study of nearly 400 people, the drug evacetrapib raised HDL and lowered LDL, the so-called "bad cholesterol" -- both when
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High Cholesterol Risks: Top 2 Dangers
A lot of people don't take the risks of high cholesterol very seriously. After all, one out of six people have high cholesterol. A staggering 50% of Americans have levels above the suggested limit. Could something so common really be a serious health risk? Unfortunately, yes. Cholesterol is a direct
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Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
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Your level is currently
Congratulations! Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, and your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is optimal.
Congratulations! Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, and your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is near optimal.
Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is borderline high. If your LDL goes higher, your total cholesterol level could become Borderline High. Consider reducing the amount of foods you eat with saturated fats and increasing physical activity. If you get more exercise, your level of "good" HDL cholesterol may increase, which could also help to keep your levels of LDL and total cholesterol in check.
Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is High. This may mean that your level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, is too low. It is best to have a high level of "good" HDL and a low level of "bad" LDL. The HDL helps keep your LDL level in check. Ask your doctor for your HDL level. If your HDL is low, increasing your physical activity can increase it, which may help reduce your LDL level.
Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Very High. This may mean that your level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, is too low. It is best to have a high level of "good" HDL and a low level of "bad" LDL because the HDL helps keep your LDL level in check. Ask your doctor for your HDL level. If your HDL is low, increasing your physical activity can increase it, which may help reduce your LDL level.
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High, but fortunately your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have other non-measured increases in LDL-like particles that can increase heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High, but fortunately your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is near optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have other non-measured increases in LDL-like particles that can increase heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Borderline High, too. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High. But your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Very High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol is High, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have elevated secondary lipids, such as non-HDL particles that increase the risk of heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol is High, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is near optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have elevated secondary lipids, such as non-HDL particles that increase the risk of heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol level is High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Borderline High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol level is High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is High, too. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels! If you are struggling to bring down your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, your doctor may prescribe medication, such as statins. Following medication, dietary, and exercise instructions should result in improvements.
Your total cholesterol level is High, and your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Very High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels! If you are struggling to bring down your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, your doctor may prescribe statins or other cholesterol-lowering medications.
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