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Cholesterol Archive
Articles
Don’t buy into dietary supplements for heart health
Statins were more effective at lowering cholesterol levels compared with six dietary supplements touted for heart health benefits, including managing cholesterol.
Don’t count on a supplement to fix high cholesterol
A 2022 study found that taking supplements for four weeks to treat "bad" LDL cholesterol was ineffective, compared with taking a statin drug for four weeks. Supplements studied included fish oil, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, plant sterols, and red yeast rice.
Sugary drinks may raise levels of unhealthy blood fats
Sugary drinks—the biggest source of added sugar in the American diet—have been linked to higher levels of LDL cholesterol and other unhealthy fats in the bloodstream.
The latest on lipoprotein(a), an inherited cause of early heart disease
About 20% of people have high blood levels of lipoprotein(a)—Lp(a) for short—a fatty particle that’s like the evil twin of the more familiar LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Elevated Lp(a) which can double or triple risk of a heart attack and raise stroke risk, and is linked to problems with the heart’s aortic valve. With new treatments that can lower Lp(a) on the horizon, cardiologists are now testing more people for this biomarker, which is not included in standard cholesterol tests.
Time for a diabetes tune-up
A major theme of the 2023 American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care guide is healthy weight loss. The new guidelines also encourage collaboration on meaningful lifestyle changes that help with sleep and health metric targets.
Muscle pain in statin users is probably not caused by the drug
While muscle pain is a possible side effect of taking statins, most discomfort is not caused by the drug, but most likely a "nocebo effect" where negative expectations can lead to perceived side effects.
Poor physical function may predict cardiovascular disease
A new study suggests that older adults who maintain an high level functional fitness have a lower their risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke compared with those who are not as fit.
Gout linked with risk for heart attack and stroke
Gout strikes when too much uric acid builds up in the body and triggers severe pain, swelling, and redness in one or more joints, often in the big toe. New research suggests that an episode may increase the risk for a heart attack or stroke over the following two months.
Trying to lower stubbornly high LDL cholesterol?
Elevated LDL cholesterol contributes to cardiovascular disease. Taking statin drugs can substantially lower this risk. But what if a person’s LDL level remains too high on their maximally tolerated dose? An expert consensus report lays out a clear path for next steps.
What is non-HDL cholesterol?
For many people, non-HDL cholesterol (which is total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol) may be as good as (or even more reliable than) LDL for assessing a person’s risk of heart problems.
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