Join the 'High Cholesterol' group to help and get support from people like you.

Cholesterol Levels May Be Linked to Breast Cancer Risk

Posted 7 Jul 2014 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, July 4, 2014 – High cholesterol levels may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, a large new British study reports. The findings suggest that keeping tight control over cholesterol through medication could help prevent breast cancer, said lead author Rahul Potluri, a researcher at the Aston University School of Medical Sciences in Birmingham, England. "This is a preliminary study and further research is required before anything can be confirmed," Potluri said. "However, 10 to 15 years down the line, if further prospective studies confirm these findings, there is the possibility for a clinical trial of the use of statins in breast cancer." Statins are prescription drugs used to treat high cholesterol. Researchers reviewed the medical records of over 660,000 female patients in Birmingham and Manchester between 2000 and 2013, using a statistical model to study the ... Read more

Related support groups: Breast Cancer, High Cholesterol

FDA Medwatch Alert: Red Yeast Rice by Doctor’s Best: Recall - Undeclared Lovastatin

Posted 24 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com

ISSUE: Doctor’s Best is voluntarily recalling lot 3121005 (7379 bottles) of Red Yeast Rice dietary supplement, 600 mg Capsules, 120-count bottles to the retail level. Doctor’s Best Red Yeast Rice has been found to contain undeclared lovastatin, a previously approved drug indicated for the treatment of high cholesterol, making this an unapproved new drug. Consumers who use supplements found to contain lovastatin in rare cases could result in serious muscle injury; particularly if taking with prescription “statins” such as lovastatin, simvastatin, or atorvastatin. Pregnant women could theoretically put their unborn child at risk by using this product with undeclared lovastatin. Patients with pre-existing liver disease may be at an increase risk for liver injury following chronic use of statins. BACKGROUND:  Doctor’s Best Red Yeast Rice was distributed nationwide through retail and internet ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Crestor, Pravastatin, Atorvastatin, Zocor, Lovastatin, Rosuvastatin, Red Yeast Rice, Livalo, Pravachol, Lescol, Lescol XL, Mevacor, Altoprev, Pitavastatin, Baycol, Fluvastatin, Cerivastatin

Men Who Take Statins May Exercise Less

Posted 9 Jun 2014 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, June 9, 2014 – Older men taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins appear to be slightly less active than those who don't take them, a new study suggests. Statin users logged about 40 fewer minutes of moderate activity each week compared to nonusers, according to the study. These findings confirm those of previous studies that found an association between a drop in activity and the use of statin medications such as Lipitor, Pravachol, Crestor, Zocor, Lescol and Vytorin, according to background information in the study. However, the study's conclusions don't mean that people should abandon their cholesterol-lowering medications. "Statins are extremely helpful for people who need them," stressed study lead author David Lee, an assistant professor in the department of pharmacy practice at Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University's College of ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Crestor, Pravastatin, Atorvastatin, Zocor, Lovastatin, Rosuvastatin, Red Yeast Rice, Livalo, Pravachol, Lescol, Lescol XL, Mevacor, Altoprev, Pitavastatin, Baycol, Fluvastatin, Cerivastatin

More Americans Working to Control Blood Pressure, Cholesterol: CDC

Posted 29 May 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, May 29, 2014 – Although more Americans are trying to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, more needs to be done to reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes in the United States, government health officials said Thursday. Each year, about 1.5 million people in the United States have a heart attack or stroke, killing many and leaving others with lingering disability, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched the Million Hearts initiative, a program that aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2016. A report looking at the early effects of the effort was published May 30 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The news was not as good as officials had hoped. "Although trends in the Million Hearts measures are encouraging, additional efforts by ... Read more

Related support groups: High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, High Cholesterol

High Cholesterol May Delay Parenthood, Study Suggests

Posted 21 May 2014 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 20, 2014 – Couples with high cholesterol levels may have to wait longer to become parents, a new study finds. When both the prospective mom and dad had high cholesterol levels, it took longer to conceive compared to those with lower cholesterol levels. The study also found the highest cholesterol levels among the couples who didn't achieve pregnancy during the year-long study. "This is the first time that cholesterol levels have been identified as a factor in pregnancy along with known factors, such as age and weight," said lead researcher Enrique Schisterman, senior investigator and chief of the epidemiology branch at the U.S. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can build up in the body's blood vessels, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Genetics and your family ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol

Prescription Drug Use Continues to Climb in U.S.

Posted 14 May 2014 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, May 14, 2014 – Prescription drugs are playing an increasingly larger role in U.S. life, with nearly half of all Americans taking one or more medications. Among adults, the most common prescription drugs are for cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol. Those are two of several key findings in the federal government's annual comprehensive report on the nation's health that was released Wednesday. The relationship between Americans and their prescriptions is complex, according to the report produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On the one hand, more people than ever are receiving effective treatment for chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and depression. But doctors and pharmacists also find themselves struggling with unintended consequences of drug use, such as prescription narcotics abuse and the ... Read more

Related support groups: High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Heart Disease, High Cholesterol, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Crestor, Pravastatin, Atorvastatin, Zocor, Lovastatin, Rosuvastatin, Livalo, Red Yeast Rice, Pravachol, Lescol, Lescol XL, Mevacor, Fluvastatin, Altoprev

Health Tip: Take Steps to Cut Cholesterol

Posted 13 May 2014 by Drugs.com

-- There are dietary and lifestyle changes you can make that may help you lower your cholesterol numbers. The Cleveland Clinic offers these suggestions: Limit animal fats in your diet, including processed and high-fat meats and full-fat dairy products. Eat lots of soluble fiber-rich foods, such as root vegetables, fruit, barley, flaxseed and oats. Make at least one meal per week meatless. Substitute nuts, beans or tofu for meat. Lose any extra weight. Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol

Despite Childhood Obesity Epidemic, Few Kids Tested for Cholesterol

Posted 6 May 2014 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, May 5, 2014 – Even though rising obesity rates are contributing to higher cholesterol levels among young Americans, less than 4 percent of U.S. children had their cholesterol levels checked between 1995 and 2010, new research shows. According to a team led by Dr. Samuel Vinci of Boston Children's Hospital, abnormal blood cholesterol reading are thought to occur in roughly a fifth of American children and adolescents. The concern is that – if left untreated – problematic cholesterol levels among youth could translate into heart disease in adulthood. Alert to the problem, since 2007 several organizations – including the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association – began recommending that children be screened for cholesterol starting as young as age 9. With that in mind, Vinci and his colleagues sifted ... Read more

Related support groups: Obesity, High Cholesterol

Beans, Lentils, Peas: Your Recipe for Lower Cholesterol?

Posted 7 Apr 2014 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 7, 2014 – Eating beans, lentils and other legumes may help you cut down on LDL "bad" cholesterol and lower your risk for heart disease, a new review suggests. Canadian researchers examined 26 U.S. and Canadian studies that included a total of more than 1,000 people. Their analysis showed that one daily serving (3/4 cup) of legumes – foods such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas – was linked to a reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 5 percent. The study couldn't confirm cause-and-effect, but did show a strong association. The 5 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol suggests a potential 5 percent lower risk of heart disease, according to a team led by Dr. John Sievenpiper, of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. The heart-healthy effect of legumes was greater in men than women, the research ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol

New Drug Lowers Cholesterol Beyond What Statins Can Do, Study Finds

Posted 31 Mar 2014 by Drugs.com

SUNDAY, March 30, 2014 – Two studies find that an experimental cholesterol-lowering drug is effective when combined with statins and beats another add-on drug when it comes to helping hard-to-treat patients. The drug, evolocumab, is an injectable antibody that works differently than statins by increasing the ability of the liver to clear LDL ("bad") cholesterol from the blood. The value of this drug is that it lowers cholesterol in patients who cannot tolerate statins or for whom statins don't lower cholesterol enough. "These two new studies provide further evidence of the efficacy of evolocumab for lowering LDL cholesterol in statin-treated and in statin-intolerant patients. The results are impressive," said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, who had no part in either study. Both studies were funded by Amgen, the maker of ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol

Many Kids May Have High Cholesterol, Regardless of Weight

Posted 28 Mar 2014 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, March 28, 2014 – About one of three Texas kids screened for cholesterol between the ages of 9 and 11 had borderline or high cholesterol, potentially placing them at greater risk for future cardiovascular disease, a new study has found. Obese kids were more likely to have abnormal cholesterol levels, but a large percentage of normal-weight children also had borderline or high cholesterol, said lead investigator Dr. Thomas Seery, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. "The reality is that 35 percent of kids who were not obese had abnormal cholesterol as well," Seery said. Physicians and parents need to teach kids healthy habits, such as eating right and exercising regularly, or as adults they will be more likely to suffer heart disease and stroke, he said. "Cardiovascular disease in ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol

Cholesterol Levels Spike During Winter Months, Study Finds

Posted 27 Mar 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, March 27, 2014 – Here's something that's sure to alarm the millions of Americans who have braved the fiercest, longest winter in recent memory: A new study shows that your cholesterol levels fluctuate seasonally and are at their worst during cold winter months. The research, which included 2.8 million adults, brings to stark light the potential effects of comfort food and bad weather on a person's health during the winter. "It's not just some weight that you're gaining" when you eat more and exercise less during the winter, said lead investigator Dr. Parag Joshi, a cardiology fellow at Johns Hopkins. "There are markers in your blood that are changing, and those markers contribute to heart disease." Researchers at Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease analyzed cholesterol levels in more than 2.8 million Americans between 2006 and 2013, according to ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol

Kids' Checkups Should Include Cholesterol, Depression Tests, Doctors Say

Posted 24 Feb 2014 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2014 – Doctors should test middle school-age children for high cholesterol and start screening for depression at age 11, according to updated guidelines from a leading group of U.S. pediatricians. Doctors should also test older teens for HIV, the AIDS-causing virus, the revised preventive-care recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics say. The new screening schedule provides "the recommended content for a well-child visit," said Dr. Joseph Hagan, co-editor of the guidelines. "Some changes are small, some will get people's attention." The changes attempt to address several pressing health issues affecting U.S. families today. The nation's obesity epidemic means that children are developing high cholesterol levels – a risk factor for heart disease – at earlier ages. And depression is linked to higher risk for teen suicides and murder. "One in five kids ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, High Cholesterol

Unhealthy Cholesterol Levels Might Raise Alzheimer's Risk

Posted 30 Dec 2013 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Dec. 30, 2013 – Keeping "bad" cholesterol in check and increasing "good" cholesterol is not only good for your heart, but also your brain, new research suggests. A study from the University of California, Davis, found that low levels of "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and high levels of "good" (HDL) cholesterol are linked to lower levels of so-called amyloid plaque in the brain. A build-up of this plaque is an indication of Alzheimer's disease, the researchers said in a university news release. The researchers suggested that maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is just as important for brain health as controlling blood pressure. "Our study shows that both higher levels of HDL and lower levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream are associated with lower levels of amyloid plaque deposits in the brain," the study's lead author, Bruce Reed, associate director of the UC Davis ... Read more

Related support groups: High Cholesterol, Alzheimer's Disease

New Guidelines for Heart Health: Reduce Obesity and Maintain Safe Cholesterol Levels

Posted 12 Nov 2013 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Nov. 12 – Reducing obesity cuts heart-health risks, and new guidelines from experts may help doctors and their plus-sized patients devise an effective – and perhaps lifesaving – weight-loss plan. What works best are lifestyle changes, not crash diets, according to the guidelines, which were released Tuesday by the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the Obesity Society. "Our recommendation is that doctors prescribe a diet to achieve reduced caloric intake as part of a comprehensive lifestyle intervention," guideline co-author Dr. Donna Ryan, a professor emeritus at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, said during a press conference. The diet should be tailored to patient preferences and any drugs they take, she said. Diet, physical activity and face-to-face behavioral counseling combined can lead to ... Read more

Related support groups: Obesity, Diabetes, Type 2, Ischemic Stroke, High Cholesterol, Heart Attack, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Crestor, Smoking Cessation, Pravastatin, Atorvastatin, Zocor, Lovastatin, Myocardial Infarction, Rosuvastatin, Gastric Bypass Surgery, Livalo, Red Yeast Rice, Pravachol, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

Ask a Question

Further Information

Related Condition Support Groups

Hypertriglyceridemia, Hyperlipoproteinemia, High Cholesterol - Familial Heterozygous, High Cholesterol - Familial Homozygous, Niacin Flush, Sitosterolemia

Related Drug Support Groups

Lipitor, simvastatin, Crestor, pravastatin, niacin, atorvastatin, Zocor, Niaspan, Welchol, view more... lovastatin, Zetia, Vytorin, gemfibrozil, garlic, evening primrose, green tea, rosuvastatin, Trilipix, Primrose Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Livalo, red yeast rice, Pravachol, Lopid, mycophenolate mofetil, Simcor, Slo-Niacin, flax, ezetimibe, fenofibric acid, colesevelam, Lescol, Lescol XL, Advicor, Mevacor, Flax Seed Oil, Liptruzet, Baycol, Nicotinic Acid, Choloxin, Altoprev, Garlic Oil, pitavastatin, Fibricor, fluvastatin, Juvisync, Nicotinex, cerivastatin, clofibrate, Nico-400, Pravigard Pac, dextrothyroxine sodium, Nicobid Tempules, ezetimibe/simvastatin, Niacor, lovastatin/niacin, niacin/simvastatin, simvastatin/sitagliptin, aspirin/pravastatin, Atromid-S, Altocor, B3-500-Gr, Niacor B3, B-3-50, atorvastatin/ezetimibe, Nicolar, Niacin SR