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Summary & Participants

Each year more than a million Americans have heart attacks. High cholesterol can form a blockage in the arteries and lead to heart disease. Lifestyle changes and adherence to a treatment plan are important for cholesterol management.

Medically Reviewed On: July 21, 2008

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: Each year more than a million Americans have heart attacks. Too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor.

ANTONIO GOTTO, MD: We were not able to show until fairly recently that lowering the cholesterol would actually reduce the risk of a heart attack.

ANNOUNCER: It is important to know that there are two primary types of cholesterol.

ANTONIO GOTTO, MD: There's a bad cholesterol and a good cholesterol. The bad cholesterol is called the low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. The good cholesterol is called the high-density lipoprotein, or HDL. We tend in simplified forms to think that the bad cholesterol, which increases the risk for a heart attack, takes the cholesterol into the artery, whereas the good cholesterol, the HDL, acts as a scavenger to promote reverse cholesterol transport, getting the cholesterol out of the artery and back to the liver so that the body can dispose of it.

MARY ANN McLAUGHLIN, MD: If a patient has a high level of bad cholesterol, or LDL, that LDL cholesterol is more likely to line the arteries and form a blockage or a plaque, leading to heart disease.

ANNOUNCER: Triglyceride levels in the blood are another important factor when managing cholesterol.

ANTONIO GOTTO, MD: I often refer to triglycerides as the forgotten fat. They have a relationship; they increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. They are more significant as a risk factor in women than in men, and probably also in diabetics.

ANNOUNCER: Experts agree that most people should aim for an LDL, or bad cholesterol, level below 130 mg/dL. If a person already has other risk factors for heart disease, the recommendation may be 100 mg/dL or less. For HDL, or good cholesterol, levels should be 40 mg/dL or greater, and the higher the number the better. Triglyceride levels should be less than 150 mg/dL. Experts also agree that the closer a person is to their recommended levels, the lower their risk for heart attack and stroke.

MARY ANN McLAUGHLIN, MD: It's recommended that everyone at age 20 has their cholesterol checked and is checked at least once every five years after that. If a patient has a family history of heart attacks at an early age or high cholesterol, they may have their cholesterol measured even more regularly.

ANNOUNCER: Lifestyle changes can help improve a person's cholesterol level.

MARY ANN McLAUGHLIN, MD: Cholesterol comes from animal products in general. So red meat, dairy products such as eggs, cheese, and whole milk are all high in cholesterol. Certain foods are much more high in cholesterol and should be avoided.

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