Cholesterol Archive

Making plaque disappear is not possible, but it is possible to shrink and stabilize it. Drugs called statins can help with this, and so can eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising, and quitting smoking.

Here is a checklist to lower your cardiac risk. A healthy weight and a physically active life will get you most of the way there.

As men age, cardiovascular health becomes a higher priority. But for all the recent media frenzy about who should be on cholesterol-lowering statin drugs and the continuing obsession with popping fish oil capsules, checking the box on two fundamental lifestyle issues will get you most of the way there.

New guidelines are still controversial for older adults who don't appear to have heart disease.

The debate is still raging over last November's guidelines that changed who should take statins, the drugs that help lower cholesterol. For seemingly healthy adults, the guidelines take the focus off LDL or "bad" cholesterol as a marker for statin use, and place the focus on a person's risk factors for developing heart disease or stroke—such as older age, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, other family members with heart disease, tests that show calcium in the heart's arteries, or blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). "That's a huge change," says cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor.

Taking a daily calcium and vitamin D supplement lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increased HDL (good) cholesterol in postmenopausal women.

Special tests measure different types of fat particles in the blood. But whether the results can improve your health remains uncertain.

Earlier this year, a leading women's magazine featured an article about heart health in your 50s and beyond that included this advice: "During your annual physical, consider asking for a specialized vertical auto profile (VAP) test, a detailed lipid profile that helps identify plaque buildup in your arteries." (Lipid is another word for fat).

Q. I have been taking a statin to bring down my LDL cholesterol, but my HDL is still on the low side. Do I need to worry about my HDL level if my LDL is okay? If so, what should I do?

A. The bottom line is that we do not know. There have been several large clinical trials to evaluate the use of medications to raise HDL, but so far no drug treatment for raising "good" HDL cholesterol has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk in people already taking statin drugs to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. Right now, the best bet for upping your HDL level is by making lifestyle changes, such as increasing your level of aerobic activity, losing weight, and—potentially—avoiding trans fats in your diet. You may also want to sign up for one of the current clinical trials looking at the effect of HDL-raising drugs in people already on statins with well-controlled LDL levels. You can find out about trials going on in your area at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials website (http://clinicaltrials.gov/)

More than 600,000 Americans have an inherited condition that can cause heart attacks at an early age.

Recently released guidelines could change the way women are treated with statin drugs.

High cholesterol is a concern to women as we age. Before menopause, estrogen protects us from heart disease, in part by increasing our HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol. But by our 50s, more than half of us are dealing with elevated cholesterol levels, and with them, an increased risk for heart disease.

Many foods—from the everyday to the exotic—are rich in nutrients that may help keep your arteries clear and your heartbeat stable.

Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal and some orange wedges. Enjoy a hearty bowl of bean soup for lunch. Grab a handful of peanuts for a midafternoon snack. For dinner, tuck into some grilled salmon and spinach salad drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

This menu features common foods full of nutrients associated with better heart health.

Q. I have just stopped taking a statin drug because it was causing muscle pain. To control my cholesterol, I'm now taking ground flaxseed and a daily red yeast rice pill. Are these supplements effective for lowering cholesterol?

A. Studies on flaxseed for lowering cholesterol have had mixed results, but there is some evidence it can lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol. Red yeast rice has been shown effective for lowering both total and LDL cholesterol, but because it may have the same side effects and interactions as a statin drug, talk to your doctor before taking it.