Posted By:
Steve Parcell
Category:
General
There has been much debate about optimal cholesterol levels. On the one side there those who say cholesterol does not matter and one should include inflammation along with the importance of cholesterol and other markers. And then there are those who only target the cholesterol. Like most things that are debated in medicine the reality is somewhere in between. I believe the moderate view is the correct one. All factors must be considered especially advanced serum biomarkers such as lipoprotein a, C-reactive protein, PLA2, and homocystine to name a few. I do not think there is any debate on diet lifestyle, though conventional providers do not talk about this and typically provide statin prescriptions that may or may not target a given LDL level. The guidelines changed to targeting certain levels based on risk to prescribing certain doses based on risk. Recently they changed back again to some degree targeting LDL levels. Statins have been popular but now even more so it is the primary therapy. The Role LDL Cholesterol Plays After 20 years I can tell you that cholesterol does matter, both HDL and LDL, and triglycerides are all individual risk factors. I have monitored patients who have made...