Take-home advice from the new cholesterol guidelines
LDL cholesterol and other blood fats (lipids) are major drivers of heart disease. The new guidelines can help you estimate — and lower — your risk of a future heart attack.
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
One important change from previous guidelines is an emphasis on identifying and preventing heart-related risks earlier in life. "Most heart attacks don't happen until people are in their 60s and 70s, but the process that fuels heart disease starts much earlier in life," says Dr. Howard LeWine, an internist and chief medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing. "You can lower your risk no matter what your age," he emphasizes. But encourage your children and grandchildren to check their cholesterol, especially if heart disease runs in your family, he adds (see "Cholesterol testing: When to start").
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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