Originally published September 29 2005
Researchers recommend new cholesterol treatment guidelines
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The treatment of high cholesterol is mostly focused on lowering levels of "bad" cholesterol, but cardiology experts at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine say an estimated 54 million Americans would benefit more from concentrating on boosting levels of "good" cholesterol instead, reports WSOCTV.
New guidelines to help doctors treat patients with high cholesterol focus on the good -- the good type of cholesterol, that is.
Cardiology experts at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine say that most cholesterol guidelines focus on lowering LDL, or "bad," cholesterol levels.
But they say that an estimated 54 million Americans need higher levels of HDL, or "good," cholesterol.
HDL cholesterol helps keep arteries clear from the buildup of LDL cholesterol, which leads to plaque formation and narrowing of the arteries that can cause heart attack.
The guidelines are published in Thursday's online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Roger Blumenthal, the lead author of the article, said that every single milligram per deciliter increase in HDL cholesterol lowers a person's risk of suffering a fatal heart attack by about 3 percent.
To raise HDL cholesterol levels, the researchers recommend a regular exercise program of brisk aerobic exercise for 30 minutes several times per week.
The guidelines also call for quitting smoking, weight control, moderate alcohol consumption, and a diet low in saturated fat and rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in some nuts and fish.
The researchers also devised a table of medications that can be effective in raising HDL cholesterol levels.
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