How low Should we go?
March 11, 2004
(Ivanhoe Newswire)– Current guidelines calling for people to lower their LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, to below 100 may be too conservative.
New research suggests dipping down another 30 or 40 points brings added benefits.
The advice comes from a ground-breaking new study conducted among people who had recently been admitted to the hospital with heart problems. Those who were given double the dose of the cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin (Pravachol) saw their LDL levels drop to about 62. Cholesterol levels among those who received the standard dose only went down to about 95.
Most significantly, the lower cholesterol levels translated to better long-term survival and health. Those who received the double dose were 16-percent less likely than those who received the standard dose to die or have other heart problems over two years. They were also nearly 30-percent less likely to experience recurring chest pain, and they had a 14-percent reduced risk of requiring another procedure, such as angioplasty, to clear a blocked artery.
Results of the study were released early this week by the New England Journal of Medicine.
SOURCE: New England Journal of Medicine, 2004:350
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.