Cholesterol counts: what do they add up to?
Cholesterol. That word has entered the public’s awareness in recent years. High levels of cholesterol in the blood promote atherosclerosis-hardening of the arteries-and it is our major killer, causing more deaths than all forms of cancer combined. But once past a general awareness that cholesterol is important, most people entered a mysterious realm of “cholesterol counts” and dietary guidelines that seemed to shift constantly. For the person who simply wanted to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, it all could be a little daunting. Last October, the expert panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program, an arm of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, issued new guidelines that promise to bring a welcome new uniformity to a hitherto confusing area. The new guidelines make it easier to decide if you have a problem-and to know what to do about your problem if you have one. The NCEP panel recommends that cholesterol levels be measured every five years in adults over th
