Jain Digest 1998 07 Vol 14 No 03

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 30

NEWS
FOR OUR HEALTH
Who should take cholesterol-lowering drugs
by Dr. Dilip Shah, Chicago, Illinois
It is well known that high cholesterol levels have been found to be linked to higher risks of heart disease. What is less well known is that the degree of risk is highly influenced by the amount of different types of cholesterol found in your body. Total cholesterol is composed of two types: "good" cholesterol (HDL), which has been found to have a protective function in the body, and "bad" cholesterol (LDL), which clogs arteries.
A recent study suggests that cholesterol levels that were previously considered normal may actually be too high. Instead, a cholesterol level under 200 mg/dL is desirable. To understand the numbers, see the table below:
Total cholesterol "Bad" LDL cholesterol "Good" HDL cholesterol
below 200 below 130 above 50
200-240 130-160 35-50
above 240 above 160 below 35
As can be seen in the table, an LDL level of more than 160 mg/dL is considered abnormal and results in a higher risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease. People carrying two or more of the common risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and family history should consider an LDL level of under 100 mg/dL as desirable and 130 mg/dL as abnormal. People who have had chest pains, heart attacks, or strokes should also target an LDL level of less than 100 mg/dL. A good relative measure of the risk associated with LDL levels is the ratio of HDL/LDL in the body; typically, a ratio of 25% or higher is considered adequate. For example, an individual with a total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL should have an HDL level of 50 mg/dL or more.
Before considering any drug therapy for high cholesterol, lifestyle changes may improve your cholesterol profile. Simple changes include reducing total fat intake by 30% by reducing butter and cheese in your diet and by replacing peanut oil with olive or canola oil. Exercise and weight reduction will also reduce the total cholestrol and improve the HDL/LDL ratio.
Should all of this fail, a new group of cholesterol-lowering drugs called Statins is recommended. Controlled studies show that these new drugs can reduce the onset of first-time episodes of chest pain and heart attacks by as much as 36%. These positive results are also accompanied by a drop in cholesterol levels by nearly 20%, and a significant reduction in cardiac deaths and strokes. It is important to note, however, that a reduced fat diet must always be tried before turning to medications.
Women's Issue
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women and this is especially true in post-menopausal woman who no longer have the benefits of regular hormonal cycles to assist in the regulation on cholesterol levels in the body. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one alternative to lipid-lowering drugs for many post-menopausal women because it has been found to protect against heart disease. Preliminary studies indicate that HRT would be most beneficial for women with cardiovascular risk factors such as a family history of heart disease, obesity, high cholesterol, and smoking as targeted women showed up to a 50% drop in death rates.
In short, make the changes that you can in your lifestyle and discuss these issues with your physician.
28/JAIN DIGEST FALL 1998 Jain Education Intemational 2010_02