a higher blood level of HDL, or "good" cholesterol
About 500,000 Americans die of heart disease each year. Other risk factors include:
smoking
excess weight
a sedentary lifestyle
type 2 diabetes
The guidelines update the previous recommendations made in 1993. The new recommendations still focus on lowering LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, with a level below 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) still considered ideal.
However, the guidelines include a change in the recommended level of HDL or "good" cholesterol. Now an HDL level of less than 40 mg/dl is considered to be a risk factor for heart disease, as opposed to 35 mg/dl
The guidelines also place greater emphasis on triglycerides, another fatty substance in the blood. The guidelines recommend that doctors urge patients whose triglyceride level is borderline to lose weight and exercise.
Healthy adults should also have a lipoprotein analysis, which measures triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol once every 5 years. Previously, a screening test that looked only at total and LDL cholesterol was advised.
Recommendations include:
Patients should consume no more than 7% of calories from saturated fat rather than the previous recommendation of 10%.
Adults are advised to consume no more than 35% of calories from total fat, up from the previous recommendation of 30%, provided that the main source is unsaturated fat, which does not raise cholesterol levels.
The new target for cholesterol is less than 200 mg a day versus the previous target of under 300 mg.
The soluble fiber found in cereal grains, beans, peas, legumes, and fruits and vegetables may help to lower cholesterol level, and exercising and maintaining a healthy body weight have been shown reduce LDL cholesterol and boost HDL cholesterol levels.
Women are advised against choosing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a replacement for cholesterol-lowering drugs. According to the NHLBI, HRT does not appear to lower the risk for a major heart attack among postmenopausal women with heart disease and may increase the risk of stroke.
Overall, the guidelines mean that 65 million Americans should make dietary changes to lower cholesterol, up from 52 million who are now candidates, and 36 million should be taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, compared with 13 million who are prescribed the drugs.
Further Cholesterol Guidelines Info:
The Prescription Free Cholesterol Cure
Four Factors Causing High Cholesterol
Natural Ways To lower Your Cholesterol
Cholesterol - Lower Cholesterol - High Cholesterol - Cholesterol Level - Low Cholesterol Diet - Cholesterol Diet - Cholesterol Lowering Diet - Lowering Cholesterol - Reduce Cholesterol - High Cholesterol Diet - Diet To Lower Cholesterol - Low Cholesterol Food - Home Cholesterol Test - Normal Cholesterol Level - HDL Cholesterol - LDL Cholesterol - Cholesetrol Treatment - Cholesterol Food - Cholesterol Medication - High Cholesterol Food - Low Cholesterol Recipe - Low Cholesterol - Cholesterol Test - Good Cholesterol - Food That Lowers Cholesterol - Cholesterol Information - Cholesterol Lowering Food - Cholesterol Medicine - Cholesterol Congreat - Food High In Cholesterol - Cholesterol Drugs - Bad Cholesterol - High Cholesterol Synptom - Cholesterol Lowering Drug - Food To Lower Cholesterol - Low Fat Low Cholesterol Diet - Normal Range Of Cholesterol - Cholesterol Ratio - Normal Cholesterol - Lower Cholesterol Naturally - Food low In Cholesterol - Cholesterol Numbers - Cholesterol Testing - Cholesterol Monitor - Foods That Help lower Cholesterol - Cholesterol Reading - Low Cholesterol Diet Plan - Total Cholesterol - Reducing Cholesterol - Cause Of High Cholesterol - Cholesterol Free Diet - Cholesterol Chart - Cholesterol Test Kit - Good Cholesterol Food - Niacin Cholesterol - Cholesterol Lowering Medication - Cholesterol HDL LDL - Low Fat Low Cholesterol Recipe - Healthy Cholesterol Level - Good Cholesterol Level - Cholesterol Control - Cholesterol Triglyceride - Cinnamon Cholesterol - Shrimp Cholesterol - Sample Diet For Lowering Cholesterol - Egg Cholesterol - Lowering Cholesterol Naturally - Cholesterol Count - Cholesterol High Blood Pressure - Foods That Lower Bad Cholesterol - Cholesterol Myths - Ways To Lower Cholesterol - High Cholesterol Medication - VLDL Cholesterol - Alcohol and Cholestrol - Cholesterol Range - Cholesterol Recipes - Cholesterol Guidelines - High Cholesterol Level - Exercise and Cholesterol - Cholesterol.com - How To Lower LDL Cholesterol - Cholesterol Tester -