6 new and surprising findings about cholesterol
These latest findings could change the way we look at cholesterol
By Kat Tancock
Risk levels can now be more fine-tuned
Your doctor uses a number of factors to assess your risk of heart disease: in addition to cholesterol levels, she might take into account your family history, your weight, your blood pressure, how much you exercise and whether you smoke. Your cholesterol targets are related to other risk factors: the higher they are, the lower your cholesterol should be and the more likely you'll be advised to take medication.
But what if you're somewhere in the middle? Dr. Iglar says that a relatively new assessment, the hs-CRP test, measures inflammation in the body and helps stratify moderate-risk patients into low-moderate and high-moderate. "That’s often how my patients make decisions about taking drugs," he says. "They’re more inclined to take medication if they have higher risk."
But what if you're somewhere in the middle? Dr. Iglar says that a relatively new assessment, the hs-CRP test, measures inflammation in the body and helps stratify moderate-risk patients into low-moderate and high-moderate. "That’s often how my patients make decisions about taking drugs," he says. "They’re more inclined to take medication if they have higher risk."
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