5 Myths About Cholesterol Treatment
Check out these often-misunderstood facts about managing high cholesterol.
Maybe you've been watching your cholesterol for years and feel like you've got a handle on the basic facts. Hold on! You might be surprised by these five common myths about treatment for high cholesterol.
Do you know everything you should about managing high cholesterol? There's a lot that's misunderstood about maintaining optimal heart health. Here are five myths about cholesterol treatment.
Myth number one, your meds are all you need to lower your cholesterol, there's no need to change your lifestyle.
In fact, eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise enables you to get the most out of your cholesterol meds.
Myth number two, if high cholesterol is genetic, there's no point bothering with diet and exercise.
Eating a heart healthy diet and exercising sufficiently might actually be even more important if you have familial hypercholesterolemia. If high cholesterol is in your family genetically, and chances are you'll also need to take medication to bring your cholesterol down.
Speaking of medication, myth number three is that statins are dangerous. Serious side effects are rare and the safety of statins is well-established.
Myth number four, statins are the only drug available to treat high cholesterol.
While it's true that statins are the first-line treatment for high cholesterol, there are other drugs that can help. These include cholesterol absorption inhibitors and PCSK9 inhibitors. These drugs can often be taken in combination with statins for even more benefit.
And finally, myth number five, if your HDL level, that's your good cholesterol is high, then you don't need to worry about high LDL, the bad cholesterol.
Although HDL levels over 60 are linked to a lower risk of heart disease, working to lower your LDL remains vital to protect against heart attacks and strokes. LDL levels should always be your main focus.
Bonus myth. This segment lowers your LDL at least five points each time you watch or share it ... if only. But I have heard that it's a great aphrodisiac!
(The segment is probably not a great aphrodisiac.)
