The new diet is expected to be recommended to 65 million Americans, up from 53 million now. Those 65 million will include those on medication and also those at risk of high cholesterol, those identified because of their cluster of risk factors. We now know that cholesterol-lowering treatment is more effective when its intensity closely matches the level of risk. Grundy said clinical trials strongly support the effectiveness of a class of drugs called statins. Other classes of cholesterol-lowering drugs include bile acid sequestrants, nicotinic acid and fibrates, which often are used in combination with statins.
Cholesterol is crucial for the body, which uses it to make cell membranes.
However, the proteins that carry it around the bloodstream, particularly LDL, can build up in the walls of arteries, blocking blood supply to heart and triggering heart attacks. Cholesterol is produced naturally in the liver, but much of it comes from animal products in the diet, such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, butter, cheese and whole-milk dairy products. The guidelines call for all adults to be screened for cholesterol every five years beginning at age 20.