Normal Cholesterol?
You May Still be at Risk for Heart Disease

Continued

Many aspects of our lifestyle, medical history and family background can put us at risk for heart attacks.
High cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, overweight, diabetes (high blood sugar), age >50, male, lack of exercise and heredity (thanks Mom and Dad) … all play a role.
Fortunately, people who have these conditions have a great opportunity to reduce their risks.
Bud did you know that half of all heart attacks occur in people without these traditional “risk factors”?
A simple blood test called “High Sensitivity CRP” is now being used to find some of these people.
Elevated CRP levels have been shown to predict future risk of heart attack and stroke. What’s more, we just happen to already have medication that can lower CRP levels.
At a recent national meeting of the American Heart Association results of a major study called the Jupiter Trial were revealed for the first time.
This study gave a cholesterol pill to middle-aged people who didn’t have a high cholesterol level by current standards but had a high CRP (who knew?).
The participants were able to lower their risk of a heart attack by about 50% in less than two years. The experiment was so successful it had to be stopped ahead of schedule so that people on a “placebo” pill could also benefit.
The group who took the cholesterol pill had only half as many heart attacks, cardiac stents and heart bypass operations.
Now we have a new way to identify and help some people without the traditional risk factors who are still in danger of a heart attack.

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