If you have high cholesterol, you may have already tried diet and exercise to lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol. For some people, especially those with a family history of hypercholesterolemia, diet and exercise alone are...
More than 16 percent of the U.S. adult population has a high blood cholesterol level equal to or greater than 240 milligrams per deciliter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High blood cholesterol increases your risk of...
Total cholesterol levels increase throughout a person's life. The two types of cholesterol are HDL, which is the good cholesterol, and LDL, which is the bad cholesterol. LDL levels also increase with age. There are many classes of medications that...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronary artery disease is the leading type of heart disease in America. It can result in a myocardial infarction, or what is commonly referred to as a heart attack. There are several...
When you take two or more drugs together, there is always the potential for interactions. These are called drug-drug interactions. Sometimes, certain foods or drinks may also affect the way your medicine works. These are known as drug-food...
Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that the body needs for normal function. However, too much cholesterol results in the buildup of cholesterol on the walls of arteries throughout the body, resulting in an increased risk for heart problems....
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver similar to that seen in alcoholics. This disease is quite common and can show no signs or symptoms, while others may experience inflammation and scarring. In...
High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease -- the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Approximately 102.2 million people in the U.S. have a total cholesterol level greater than 200 mg/dL, a level...
High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for atherosclerosis, the number one cause of death for the American population. In atherosclerosis, the medium and large arteries have plaque filled with connective...
According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 98.6 million adults over the age of 20 have cholesterol higher than 200 mg/dl - the diagnostic threshold for having hypercholesterolemia. High cholesterol is a primary risk factor for heart...
TriCor is the brand name for the antilipemic agent fenofibrate. It belongs to the class of drugs called the fibric acids and is available with a doctor's prescription. The medication is used along with dietary therapy for the treatment of high...
For the estimated 98 million Americans with high cholesterol, there are several options for lowering their risk for heart disease: diet, exercise and/or medications. Typically, when a patient is first diagnosed with cholesterol that's over 240...
Gemfibrozil is one of many prescription-based cholesterol medications. Although most people who need to lower their bad cholesterol achieve better results with other medications, like statins and nicotinic acid, gemfibrozil may be better tolerated...
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), triglycerides are a type of cholesterol, or fat. When measuring triglyceride levels, a physician will also measure low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high-density lipoprotein, or HDL,...
Taking medication to lower your cholesterol is usually a last resort. More often than not, patients with high cholesterol are advised to modify their lifestyle first, such as eating a low fat diet, getting regular exercise, stopping smoking and...
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fat that is critical for good health. The liver makes cholesterol for the body, but cholesterol can also enter the body through dietary sources. Too much cholesterol can promote atherosclerosis and coronary...
Coenzyme Q-10, also known as Ubiquinone, gets more attention as its function in the human body becomes more defined through medical research. According to the Mayo Clinic, Coenzyme Q-10 is "vital for the basic functioning of cells. ... Coenzyme...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood. Cholesterol known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is also called "good cholesterol." HDL helps to keep arteries from becoming clogged and protects against heart disease. Cholesterol known as...
Fibrates, or fibric acid derivatives, are drugs mainly utilized to lower triglycerides. They come in several different forms, including gemfibrozil and fenofibrate. In the May 2007 issue of "American Family Physician," Dr. Robert Oh reported that...
Low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, and is commonly referred to as the "bad" kind of cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, buildup of LDL cholesterol in your blood narrows your arteries and can lead to a heart attack or stroke....
Abnormal cholesterol metabolism is part of a larger grouping often referred to as Disorders of Lipid Metabolism. Only some lipid disorders involve cholesterol, which is one of many lipids produced in the body. Abnormal cholesterol metabolism can...
According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 98.6 million Americans have been diagnosed with high cholesterol. Cholesterol is considered high when it reaches 200 mg/dl or higher and is a major risk factor for heart disease. The first...
High levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. There are multiple options available in terms of cholesterol-lowering medications. Medications should be used in conjunction with healthy...
Cholesterol is necessary in the body for cells to function properly, and the body even produces some of its own cholesterol. The problem is, when you take in extra cholesterol in the foods you eat, it seriously raises your cholesterol levels. High...
Cholesterol is involved in cell membrane structure and is a precursor for synthesis of bile acids and steroid hormones. Over-production, or stockpiling of cholesterol in the body, can occur if regulating processes fail or are unable to balance the...
Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase the risk of heart disease. High amounts of cholesterol stick to the walls of the arteries and cause...
Most fats in the body exist as triglycerides. Hypertriglyceridemia, or a high triglyceride level, occurs when excessive amounts of triglycerides circulate in the body. This increases the risk of cardiovascular events and acute pancreatitis, or...
TriCor, the brand name of fenofibrate, is a prescription drug known as a fibric acid. It is used in combination with a healthy diet to treat adults with elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The medication increases the rate at which at...
Cholesterol is a waxy-like substance that your body uses to maintain good health. High amounts of bad cholesterol can place you at a high risk for heart attack, stroke and coronary heart disease. Your liver and body cells produce large amounts of...