All Cholesterol Articles

Recent headlines reported that the drug Crestor cut nearly in half the number of heart attacks and strokes even in people with low cholesterol. The results sounded so good, people may have been tempted to run out and ask their doctor for a prescription. The news is good, but local doctors caution that the implications apply only to people who are already at elevated risk for heart attack Read more...

Could eating grapes help fight high blood pressure related to a salty diet? And could grapes calm other factors that are also related to heart diseases such as heart failure? A new University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study suggests so. The new study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, gives tantalizing clues to the potential of grapes Read more...

Onions are known for flavor, but they are also healthy for you, says the National Onion Association. The NOA says onions contain organosulfur compounds linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. The non-profit group says that members of the Allium family like onion and garlic also contain alliinase, which is an enzyme that speeds up chemical reactions. Alliinase helps create Read more...

Q: Is it true that eggs contain cholesterol? And how many eggs can I eat each week? A: Eggs do contain a type of cholesterol found in many foods, called dietary cholesterol. Eggs, liver, kidneys and shrimp are higher in dietary cholesterol than other foods. But the cholesterol we get from our food has much less effect on the level of cholesterol in our blood than the amount of Read more...

Inclusion of pistachios in a healthy diet beneficially affects cardiovascular disease risk factors in a dose-dependent manner, U.S. researchers said. Sarah K. Gebauer, a post-doctoral research associate at Pennsylvania State University, conducted a randomized, crossover design, controlled feeding experiment to test the effects of pistachios added to a heart healthy moderate-fat diet on Read more...

Heart disease has become a leading cause of disability and death in the Mid-South of America. Compared to U.S. averages, heart disease is far more common among people in the South. The facts and advice below apply to all people with a heart health risk. The risk of heart disease increases with age. Fat and cholesterol often build up in arteries as we age. Arteries may harden. Many seniors Read more...

The curiosity of biochemists, mixed with some obvious economic incentives, created a family of powerful cardiovascular drugs In 1966, Akira Endo, a young Japanese biochemist, started an adventure that would ultimately save thousands, if not millions, of lives. Only 33 years old at the time, Endo was a research scientist at Sankyo-a pharmaceutical company, later known as Daiichi Sankyo, in Read more...

Talk about taking a hit in the breadbasket. A new study finds that a low-carb diet results in greater weight loss and better cholesterol than a low-fat regimen that promotes a lot of grains and fruits. A Mediterranean diet yielded results between the two, researchers in Israel report in the July 17 New England Journal of Medicine. By conducting a trial within a single workplace, the Read more...

(Low-Density Lipoprotein [LDL] Lowering Diet) by Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD The primary goal of this diet is to lower your levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. This diet may also raise your levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol. Having too much bad cholesterol—and/or not enough of the good kind—can cause plaque to build up in your arteries. Over time, this build-up narrows your Read more...

(Lipid Tests) by Editorial Staff And ContributorsDefinitionBlood tests that measure the levels of cholesterol in your blood. The following cholesterol tests measure the components of cholesterol:Total cholesterol test—measures the total level of cholesterol in your bloodTotal and HDL-cholesterol test—measures the levels of total cholesterol and HDL ("good") cholesterol in your blood and may Read more...

by Christine Perry Cholesterol. You've heard it's "bad for you," but why? Where does it come from? Does it do anything besides clog your arteries? This article will explain the relationship between high cholesterol and heart disease, describe the different types of cholesterol, and review several ways to lower a high cholesterol level, including exercise, a low-fat diet, and medication. What is Read more...

by Dr. Jacki Hart Fifty percent of Americans, compared to only 7% of people in Asia, have high cholesterol (total levels above 200 mg/dL [5.2 mmol/L]). Like high blood pressure, high cholesterol can be silent, not causing any symptoms until it has done significant damage to blood vessels throughout the body, possibly leading to heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke. Read more...

by Rick Alan Heart disease is the leading killer of Americans, and cholesterol plays a major role in the development of heart disease. Fortunately, statin drugs are helping thousands of people control their cholesterol. Research has also suggested that statin drugs may be effective in lowering the risk of strokes. In a recent clinical trial of daily atorvastatin after recent stroke or Read more...

by Elizabeth Smoots, MD Most people know that middle-aged men with high cholesterol levels are prone to heart attacks. What many people don't seem to understand is that cholesterol is just as dangerous for women and people over age 65. In the US, coronary heart disease is the leading killer of women, as well as men. About equal numbers of both sexes contribute to the toll of over 700,000 deaths Read more...

by Sheri McGregor Unless you live in a cave, you've heard about the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease. But who needs a doctor or tests when you're not sick? Maybe you do. Clogged arteries don't happen overnight. Active adults with no outward symptoms may have unhealthy cholesterol and fats circulating through their arteries like silent time bombs, ready to Read more...

(Hypercholesterolemia) by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MDUnderstanding Cholesterol LevelsDefinition High cholesterol is excess levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol in the blood consists of three main components: Low density lipoproteins (LDL)—involved in depositing cholesterol and other fats throughout the body. High levels of LDL put you at risk for hardening of the arteries and heart Read more...

As told to Virginia Mansfield Jim, a 60-year-old financial advisor, lives in the Midwest with his wife, son, and granddaughter. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with high cholesterol. Coming from a family with a history of heart problems, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, Jim was not surprised by the diagnosis. To manage his diagnosis, he has successfully made a balanced diet and Read more...

by Amanda Barrett, MA On July 13, 2004, a government-appointed panel of experts from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) issued an update on cholesterol guidelines for men and women considered at risk of heart attack or stroke . This is the second update to the guidelines since their inception in 1993, and is based on five major clinical Read more...

Taking calcium supplements to improve bone strength in middle-age could put women at higher risk of a heart attack, claim researchers. Extra calcium could do more harm than good, even though broken bones account for thousands of deaths each year. The researchers are calling for more studies to check the effect of high calcium intake on bone. The latest study, published online in Read more...

Need one more reason to quit smoking, eat right and exercise? How about inflammation? Most people think of inflammation as the redness, swelling and warmth that accompanies a cut, injury or illness. These are symptoms of the body's immune system fighting off what it perceives as an intruder. When that intruder is cholesterol, inflammation can wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system and Read more...