Cholesterol: Overview and History
There is a very good reason that high cholesterol is a concern for so many people. Increased levels of cholesterol can present serious risks to an otherwise healthy person. While monitoring cholesterol with proper diet and exercise is important, the first step to conquering cholesterol is having a clear understanding of the facts.
The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) issued important clinical cholesterol guidelines in May, 2001. This update, the first in ten years, was prepared in the hope of helping adults to manage their own cholesterol levels, and prevent these levels from increasing.
The NCEP, in cooperation with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, developed new cholesterol guidelines through research and study. The guidelines show significant changes in the following areas:
* An increase in more insistent cholesterol-reducing treatments
* Identification of patients at high risk of heart disease
* A new stage at which low HDL, or low high-density lipoprotein, can pose a major high risk factor for heart disease
* Improved therapeutic lifestyle changes to increase the ability to improve cholesterol levels
* A greater focus on the cluster of heart disease risk factors known as "the metabolic syndrome", as related to insulin resistance
* Increased awareness surrounding treatment, with more aggressive treatment of high triglycerides.
Under these new guidelines, the NCEP had anticipated a considerable increase in the number of Americans undergoing treatment for high cholesterol. In fact, these numbers did increase. In cases of patients taking dietary treatments, the numbers rose from 52 million to 65 million. Additionally, an estimated 36 million patients were taking cholesterol-reducing drugs, an increase from the previous number of 13 million.
The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) issued important clinical cholesterol guidelines in May, 2001. This update, the first in ten years, was prepared in the hope of helping adults to manage their own cholesterol levels, and prevent these levels from increasing.
The NCEP, in cooperation with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, developed new cholesterol guidelines through research and study. The guidelines show significant changes in the following areas:
* An increase in more insistent cholesterol-reducing treatments
* Identification of patients at high risk of heart disease
* A new stage at which low HDL, or low high-density lipoprotein, can pose a major high risk factor for heart disease
* Improved therapeutic lifestyle changes to increase the ability to improve cholesterol levels
* A greater focus on the cluster of heart disease risk factors known as "the metabolic syndrome", as related to insulin resistance
* Increased awareness surrounding treatment, with more aggressive treatment of high triglycerides.
Under these new guidelines, the NCEP had anticipated a considerable increase in the number of Americans undergoing treatment for high cholesterol. In fact, these numbers did increase. In cases of patients taking dietary treatments, the numbers rose from 52 million to 65 million. Additionally, an estimated 36 million patients were taking cholesterol-reducing drugs, an increase from the previous number of 13 million.