Up with HDL, the "good" cholesterol

Guidelines mainly target LDL cholesterol, but HDL matters, too.

Among the many things we can do to reduce our risk for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in women in the United States, is to pay attention to cholesterol levels. Although for most people it's not as potent a risk factor as smoking or high blood pressure, excess cholesterol in the blood may set the stage for atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.