Cholesterol

Raising HDL Levels May Not Lower Heart Attack Risk

Gene Study Questions Impact of Increasing 'Good' Cholesterol Levels By Salynn Boyles Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD May 16, 2012 -- It is widely believed that raising "good" cholesterol lev...

Cholesterol Levels in the U.S. on the Decline

Experts Credit Medication and Healthier Diets for Falling Cholesterol Levels By Charlene Laino Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD April 25, 2012 -- The number of American adults with high cholest...

Biologic Drug Lowers LDL Cholesterol

Experimental Drug Lowers LDL on Top of Traditional Statin By Charlene Laino Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD March 26, 2012 (Chicago) -- An experimental biologic drug called REGN727 may help ...

Health Tip: Diabetics, Take Care of Your Feet

-- Foot ulcers (sores) are common in people with diabetes. Left uncontrolled or untreated, they can lead to amputation. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of extremity amputation in the United States in cases that don't involve a...

Brain Scans Overused on U.S. Stroke Patients, Study Says

TUESDAY, March 6 -- Most stroke patients undergo both CT and MRI brain scans, an unnecessary duplication that contributes to the rising costs of stroke care in the United States, a new study indicates.University of Michigan researche...

Sickle Cell Blood Test Might Predict Severity of Disease

FRIDAY, March 2 -- Researchers report they have developed a blood test that can predict which sickle cell patients are most likely to experience the most severe symptoms of the disease.When the blood illness is at its worst, patient...

Taurine May Help Women's Hearts

Amino Acid Found in Dark Meat Poultry, Fish May Protect Women With High Cholesterol, Study Suggests By Kathleen Doheny Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD March 2, 2012 -- Taurine, an amino acid f...

Statin Risks Outweighed by Statin Benefits

Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs: A FAQ By Daniel J. DeNoon Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD March 1, 2012 -- Are the benefits of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs worth their risks? It...

CDC Report: Kids Still Eat Too Much Added Sugar

About 16% of Kids' Total Calories Come From Added Sugars, New Report Finds By Kathleen DohenyWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 29, 2012 -- U.S. children and teens have cut down on added sugars but still eat too much, accordi...

New Warnings on Cholesterol-Lowering Statins

FDA: Memory Loss, Confusion, Diabetes Are Possible Statin Side Effects By Daniel J. DeNoon Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 28, 2012 -- Memory loss, confusion, high blood sugar, and type ...

Citrus Fruits May Lower Women's Stroke Risk

THURSDAY, Feb. 23 -- Eating oranges and other citrus fruits may help reduce stroke risk, new research suggests.Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been linked with lower stroke risk in other studies, but researchers weren't sure...

Hispanic Americans Born Outside Country Have Fewer Strokes

TUESDAY, Feb. 21 -- Hispanic Americans who were born in another country are less likely to have a stroke than white Americans, a new study finds.It included 1,424 Hispanics and 14,360 whites over age 50 (average age 66) who had no hi...

More Doubt on Link Between a Blood Chemical and Heart Disease

TUESDAY, Feb. 21 -- Having high levels of the amino acid homocysteine won't raise your risk of developing heart disease, a new analysis indicates.The findings appear to close the door on the potential benefit of lowering homocysteine...

Health Tip: How to Lower Your Risk of Stroke

-- When it comes to stroke prevention, a healthy lifestyle is your best bet. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists these suggestions to help reduce your risk of stroke:Follow a healthy diet that's low in saturated...

Smog May Harm Women's Brains: Study

MONDAY, Feb. 13 -- A lifetime's exposure to air pollution may contribute to mental decline in older women, a new study says.Researchers used data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air monitors combined with address info...

Mediterranean Diet May Protect Brain

Mediterranean Diet May Reduce Small Blood Vessel Damage in the Brain By Jennifer WarnerWebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Feb 13, 2012 -- Chalk up another possible benefit to following a Mediterranean diet.A new study suggests that peo...

Many Stroke Victims Still Don't Get Treated Fast Enough: Study

FRIDAY, Feb. 3 -- While a clot-busting medication can often help stop a stroke in its tracks if it's given promptly, a new study finds that a high number of stroke victims continue to fail to get to the emergency room quickly enough ...

Aspirin, Warfarin Fare Equally for Heart Failure Patients

FRIDAY, Feb. 3 -- A major head-to-head trial finds that aspirin is equally as good as warfarin in preventing stroke and death in heart failure patients.The researchers said that, all things being equal, the findings raise questions a...

It's 'Buyer Beware' When Getting Statins Off the Internet

THURSDAY, Feb. 2 -- Be wary of buying the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins on the Internet, British researchers say.Common statins such as Lipitor, Crestor or Zocor may not be the same as advertised and sites often don't i...

Adult Children of Stroke Sufferers May Show Signs of Brain Aging, Too

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- Many adults whose parents suffered a stroke before age 65 experience vascular changes and brain aging in middle age that may precede a stroke, a new study finds.It included nearly 1,300 participants with an avera...

Clot-Busting Drug May Work for Those Who Have Strokes While Asleep

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- New research suggests that it may be safe to give the clot-busting drug tPA to people who wake up with stroke symptoms, even though there is a short time window in which to use the treatment and doctors have no i...

Many Hispanics Don't Call an Ambulance For Stroke: Study

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- Hispanics are less likely to call an ambulance when they're having a stroke, one reason why Hispanics are about half as likely as non-Hispanics to have a favorable outcome after a stroke, a new study suggests.Uni...

Worrying Too Much Might Raise Your Risk for Stroke

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- High levels of a personality trait called harm avoidance -- which includes excessive worrying, pessimism, fear and fatigue -- is associated with a higher stroke risk, a new study indicates.It included 1,082 older...

Experimental Drug Might Beat Aspirin in Preventing Repeat Strokes: Study

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- An investigational drug called apixaban (Eliquis) appears to be better than aspirin at preventing blood clots in certain patients who have already suffered a stroke or so-called "mini-stroke" due to an abnormal h...

Efforts to Reduce Stroke in Kids With Sickle Cell Working: Study

THURSDAY, Feb. 2 -- Greater use of certain types of treatments for kids with sickle cell anemia may explain why black children's risk of ischemic stroke dropped significantly between 1999 and 2007, new research finds.The disparity i...

Sunny Skies Linked to Lower Stroke Risk

Dietary Vitamin D Also Associated With Decreased Risk of Stroke By Charlene LainoWebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 1, 2012 -- People who live in sunny places may have a lower risk of stroke, new research suggests.The researche...

Fatty Diet Before Pregnancy Linked to Gestational Diabetes

TUESDAY, Jan. 31 -- A pre-pregnancy diet high in animal fat increases the risk that moms-to-be will develop gestational diabetes, a new study says."Our findings indicate that women who reduce the proportion of animal fat and choleste...

Infections Might Raise Stroke Risk in Children: Study

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- Many children who suffer a stroke had some sort of an infection in the days leading up to the stroke, a new study says. However, childhood stroke is rare and parents shouldn't be unduly alarmed by these findings...

Scientists Use Brain Waves to Eavesdrop on the Mind

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- Scientists may one day be able to read the minds of people who have lost the ability to speak, new research suggests.In their report, published in the Jan. 31 online edition of the journal PLoS Biology, Universi...

Sleep Apnea May Be Tied to 'Silent' Strokes, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1 -- Sleep apnea, the disorder marked by abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep, is already known to boost the risk of stroke. Now, a new study links sleep apnea to so-called silent strokes, in which there is tissu...