Now we have to select the right people for treatment and get them in the appropriate treatment to reduce their risks. But the numbers behind that figure have changed. The minimum level of good cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, was raised from 35 mg to 40 mg. The guidelines won praise Tuesday from national physicians groups and local cardiologists. The cut-off we had was a little too high.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance used in the formation of cells.
Your body needs it, but too much can cause LDL to build up on the walls of arteries, clogging them. Near the heart, these clots can cause heart attacks. In the brain, they can cause a stroke. New evidence has shown that HDL naturally carries LDL back to the liver, where it's disposed of. Diet and exercise, the front-line treatment for reducing cholesterol, are still encouraged, but the report recognizes lifestyle changes alone aren't doing the job.