Cholesterol (cont.)
Medical Author:
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEMDr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACRDr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. In this Article
 Is lowering LDL cholesterol enough?LDL cholesterol reduction is only part of the battle against atherosclerosis. Individuals who have normal or only mildly elevated LDL cholesterol levels can still develop atherosclerosis and heart attacks even in the absence of other risk factors such as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus. It is clear that while lowering LDL cholesterol below NCEP target levels is an important step, there are other factors involved in heart disease that are yet to be discovered. REFERENCES: Reviewed by William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR on 7/21/2011 Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
Cholesterol - Share Your Experience
Question: Please share your experience with high cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol - Medications
Question: What medications have you taken to lower your cholesterol or triglycerides? What side effects have you experienced?
Cholesterol - Effective Treatments
Question: What kinds of treatments have been effective for your cholesterol?
Cholesterol - LDL Cholesterol
Question: In what ways have you tried lowering your LDL cholesterol?
|
Suggested Reading on Cholesterol by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
32 articles-
Blood Clots
- Blood clots can occur in the venous and arterial vascular system. Blood clots can form in the heart, legs, arteries, veins, bladder, urinary tract and
-
Hypothyroidism
- Hypothyroidism is any state in which thyroid hormone production is below normal. Normally, the rate of thyroid hormone production is controlled by the
-
Liver Disease
- Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood
-
Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)
- Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type
-
Dementia
- Dementia is a significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity, severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. There
-
Liver Cancer
- Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the majority of patients with liver cancer will die within one year as a result. Patients
-
Angina
- Angina is chest pain that is due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. Angina can be caused by coronary artery disease or spasm of the
-
Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence)
- Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is a common problem among men characterized by the consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient
-
Insulin Resistance
- Insulin resistance is the diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscle
-
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a ballooning or widening of the main artery (the aorta) as it courses down through the abdomen. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms
-
Rhabdomyolysis
- Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include severe burns, muscle trauma, coma,
-
Cushing's Syndrome
- Cushing's syndrome, sometimes referred to as hypercortisolism, is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of the hormone cortisol.
-
Heart Attack
- Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain,
-
Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) refers to diseases of the blood vessels (arteries and veins) located outside the heart and brain. While there are many
-
Obesity
- Obesity is the state of being well above one's normal weight. A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent
-
Metabolic Syndrome
- The main features of metabolic syndrome include insulin resistance, hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol abnormalities, and an increased risk
-
Iron Deficiency
- Iron is a mineral our bodies need. Iron deficiency is a condition resulting from not enough iron in the body. It is the most common nutritional deficiency
-
High Blood Pressure Treatment
- High blood pressure (hypertension) means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Treatment for high blood pressure include lifestyle modifications (alcohol,
-
Heart Disease
- Heart disease (coronary artery disease) is caused by a buildup of cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries. Risk factors for heart disease include
-
Aortic Dissection
- Aortic dissection is a small tear in the large blood vessel that leads from the heart and supplies blood to the body. There are two types of aortic dissection,
-
Renal Artery Stenosis
- Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing of the diameter of the renal arteries. When the renal arteries narrow, the result is restricted blood flow to the
-
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA, Mini-Stroke)
- When a portion of the brain loses blood supply, through a blood clot or embolus, a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke) may occur. If the symptoms
-
Childhood Obesity
- Fast food consumption and lack of exercise are just a couple of causes of childhood obesity. Health effects of childhood obesity include type 2 diabetes,
-
Binge Eating Disorder
- Characteristics of binge eating disorder include eating more quickly than usual, eating until uncomfortably full, eating a lot of food despite not being
-
Heart Attack Treatment
- A heart attack involves damage or death of part of the heart muscle due to a blood clot. The aim of heart attack treatment is to prevent or stop this damage
-
Coats' Disease
- eye. Read about symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Coats' disease is a rare eye condition that typically progresses to vision loss
-
Heart Attacks in Women
- Heart disease, particularly coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart attacks. Women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men. High
-
Heart Attack Prevention Overview
- Heart attacks are the major causes of unexpected, sudden death among men and women. A heart attack is also a significant cause of heart failure. Learn
-
Heart Attack Pathology: Photo Essay
- A heart attack is a layperson's term for a sudden blockage of a coronary artery. This photo essay inlcudes graphics, pictures, and illustrations of diseased
- See All Related Diseases & Conditions »
-
Blood Clots
-
Medications
53 articles -
Procedures & Tests
5 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
16 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
44 articles -
Health News
343 articles -
Health Features
60 articles
