Non-HDL Cholesterol and The New Cholesterol Guidelines

Posted on

If non-HDL cholesterol was viewed as a key predictor of cardiac disease risk (on par with apoB or LDL particle testing), why was it abandoned in the new November 2013 cholesterol guidelines?

This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while.  Because for those with diabetes or high triglycerides, it was considered vital to know non-HDL cholesterol. (Do You Know Your Non-HDL Cholesterol? explains why, and how easy it is to calculate from just a standard cholesterol lipid blood test.)

Let me start with a brief, very non-technical definition (for more technical info click blog post link above).  

READ MORE

New Cholesterol Guidelines – An App For That

Posted on

The American Heart Association and the America College of Cardiology released completely new, totally different guidelines for the treatment of high blood cholesterol back in November 2013.

As explained in my post, The NEW Guidelines For Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Meds, in broad strokes the new guidelines state that if you are in one of the following four groups you have elevated heart disease risk and should take statins:

  • those who already have cardiovascular disease
  • anyone with LDL (bad) cholesterol of 190 mg/dL or higher
  • anyone between 40 and 75 years of age who has Type 2 diabetes
  • people between 40 and 75 who have an estimated 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease of 7.5 percent or higher.
  • READ MORE

    Baked Char or Shrimp Scampi with Spinach and Lemon

    Posted on

    Recently, we had a bunch of family visiting with a wide range of palette preferences (meaning some would eat fish and some would not). My mom and I decided to make some chicken thighs in the crock pot for those who might not like fish, and I headed off to my favorite fish wholesaler, Pagano’s, to buy enough fish to feed 10-12.

    At Pagano’s I decided to buy about 2 pounds of my favorite (and healthy) fish, Arctic char, and another 2 pounds of salmon (which I do not care for) and conduct a very informal taste-off. I prepared both the same way: first I generously salted each fillet,

    READ MORE