(American Heart Association) Lea en español Cholesterol can be confusing. But understanding it could help you live a longer, healthier life. So in honor of Cholesterol Education Month, we asked a pair of experts to clear up five common questions. Do my blood cholesterol numbers matter? “The answer is yes,” said Dr. Neil J. Stone,…
(Rasi Bhadramani/iStock, Getty Images) An inherited disorder that causes high cholesterol early in life appears to affect about 25 million people worldwide, but it is especially common among people with cardiovascular disease, new research suggests. The findings, published Friday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, “make a strong case” for screening programs to identify…
(AndrewSoundarajan, Getty Images) Women are less likely than men to be treated with cholesterol-lowering statins – or get them prescribed at guideline-recommended intensity levels when they do, according to a new study that also looked at reasons behind the discrepancies. Statins help reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular events by lowering…
(SCIENCEPRO/Science Photo Library, Getty Images) High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, but not all forms of it are the same. An underdiagnosed genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia can cause dangerously high levels of cholesterol at an early age. While scientists have determined FH is caused by genetic mutations that affect the body’s…
(Image Source/Getty Images) LDL cholesterol – the so-called “bad” cholesterol – is known to narrow arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It’s also now suspected of contributing to venous thromboembolism, new research suggests. The preliminary study, presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association’s Vascular Discovery Scientific Sessions, looked at genes and proteins…
Carl Korfmacher and his sons inherited high cholesterol. The Korfmacher family (from left): Sons, Henry and Owin; dad, Carl; mom, Krista; and Carl’s mom, Louise. (Photo courtesy of Carl Korfmacher) Carl Korfmacher was 9 years old when his father, Ron, returned from the Mayo Clinic for a checkup in the early 1970s. Though he was…
(rogerashford, Getty Images) The benefits of the cholesterol-lowering medicine called statins far outweigh any risk of side effects, according to a new analysis of decades of scientific research. In fact, side effects of statins are rare, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published Monday in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. Lynne Braun,…
(Sitthiphong, Getty Images) When doctors are sorting out what to do about a patient’s cholesterol, a key calculation is that patient’s future risk for developing heart disease. But what if that risk is uncertain? New cholesterol guidelines released Saturday suggest it can help to have a coronary artery calcium test when risk status for people…
(Scott Bodell for American Heart Association) With the release of new guidelines for treating and managing cholesterol, you may have some questions – not only about the changes in the update, but about cholesterol itself. Let’s start by acknowledging that while cholesterol is often talked about, it’s tricky to understand. You probably know that high…
(Scott Bodell for American Heart Association) Exposure to high blood cholesterol over a lifetime can increase the risk for heart attack or stroke, and new scientific guidelines say managing this waxy, fat-like substance in the blood should be a concern for all ages. The guidelines, published Saturday in the journal Circulation, are meant to help…