September 4, 2009 | 1:09 pm

National Cholesterol Education Month

Posted by Albert Fuchs, M.D.

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The CDC says that September is National Cholesterol Education Month, and who am I to argue?  So here is a dollop of education about cholesterol.

• High cholesterol is a major risk factor for strokes and heart attacks.  Other risk factors include
  • smoking,
  • age,
  • high blood pressure,
  • diabetes and
  • having a first-degree relative who had a heart attack in middle age or younger.
• High cholesterol doesn’t feel like anything.  The only way to know if your cholesterol is high is to have it checked.
• High cholesterol can be safely and effectively lowered with dietary changes, exercise and medications.
• Lowering high cholesterol with a family of cholesterol medicines called statins has been proven to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

So if you haven’t had your cholesterol checked in years, or if you know your cholesterol is high and you’ve been desperately ignoring it, get back to your doctor and get her advice.

Learn more:

The CDC webpage for National Cholesterol Education Month

Tangential miscellany:

My last post, Rational Rationing, generated lots of email responses and led to very stimulating discussions.

This month The Atlantic published a terrific article on the problems of our current healthcare system written by media and technology executive David Goldhill.  (Thanks to Timo K. for pointing me to it.)  It’s a very well researched and very personal analysis of what’s wrong and how to fix it.  I urge you to read it.  How American Health Care Killed My Father

Have a happy and safe Labor Day.

Important legal mumbo jumbo:
Anything you read on the web should be used to supplement, not replace, your doctor’s advice.  Anything that I write is no exception.  I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor despite the fact that you read or comment on my posts.  Leaving a comment on a post is a wonderful way to enter into a discussion with other readers, but I will not respond to comments (just because of time constraints).