Your doctor has probably told you raising your good cholesterol will decrease
the chances you'll have a heart attack. Now, a new study out of Harvard
Medical School says maybe that isn't the case.
Harvard researchers say genetic tests haven't
shown a link between higher HDL and a lower risk.
HDL is the so-called
"good" cholesterol.
One of the study's authors tells Web MD that HDL is
important tool for figuring out heart attack risk. But, he says this
research raises questions as to whether there are benefits to taking drugs to
increase those levels.
On the flip side, studies have shown that high LDL
or bad cholesterol, is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks.
So the
takeaway message from doctors, is to definitely lower your LDL.
The study
is published in the journal Lancet.
