It baffles that about two years after the AHA revised its guidelines, including a de-emphasis on LDL, so that levels below 190 were not of concern unless there are other more general medical issues, 99% of the doctors have not gotten the message.
The guideline recommends statin therapy for the following groups:
- People without cardiovascular disease who are 40 to 75 years old and have a 7.5 percent or higher risk for having a heart attack or stroke within 10 years.
- People with a history of a cardiovascular event (heart attack, stroke, stable or unstable angina, peripheral artery disease, transient ischemic attack, or coronary or other arterial revascularization).
- People 21 and older who have a very high level of bad cholesterol (190 mg/dL or higher).
- People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who are 40 to 75 years old.
Some patients who do not fall into the four categories may also benefit from statins, a decision that should be made on a case-by-case basis.
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Now you very well might have been "caught" by the first risk calculator, but it was not the LDL level per se.
LDL is a calculated!! Number and 139 is actual below the level that has been shown to be healthy for older women.
Zoe Harcome's article explains the basics of cholesterol:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=466506