This class of drug, in use for more than 40 years with no major problems, acts like super glue, binding with bile acids in the intestines so that the acids are removed with the stool. Bile acids (which help your body...
Fibric acid derivatives, or fibrates, affect the actions of key enzymes in the liver, enabling the liver to absorb more fatty acids, thus reducing production of triglycerides. These drugs also work well at increasing production of HDL. Although they can also...
Niacin (nicotinic acid) is one of the oldest cholesterol-lowering drugs. A member of the B vitamin family, it’s found in fruits, vegetables, meats. and grains, as well as in most multivitamins. At doses up to 35 milligrams per day, niacin is...
Two organs primarily control cholesterol levels in your blood: the liver, which produces cholesterol and bile acids (used to digest fats), and the intestine, which absorbs cholesterol both from food and from the bile, While statins primarily lower cholesterol by preventing...
his class of drug, which also goes by the tongue-twisting name HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, has revolutionized the treatment of high cholesterol more than any other medication. In use for more than a decade, the drugs are sold under the brand names...
As we talked about in this Chapter , your levels of cholesterol, combined with your other risk factors for heart disease, determine your need for medication. Your doctor will ikely recommend prescription medication if your LDL level remains between 160 and...
Learning to meditate could actually help your body clean out its arteries, according to a study published in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association. The researchers assigned 60 African American men and women with high blood pressure to either...
Sometimes the simple act of writing things down can help you clarify your feel-_. ings and render them less emotionally and physically stressful. Some studies even find that by reducing stress, keeping a journal can improve medical conditions such as asthma....
If you’re serious about using siower, deeper breathing to help you destress and even lower your blood pressure, consider investing in a biofeedback device called RespeRate. The size of a paperback book, it analyzes your breathing via a sensor buckled around...
To measure hostility in study subjects, researchers use the CookMedley Hostility Scale, based on 50 different measures. While the test should be administered and scored by a professional, you can get a general sense of your own hostility by reading the...