Good Cholesterol Gets Better

Health experts have known for years that there is good cholesterol (HDL, or high-density lipoprotein) and bad cholesterol (LDL, or low-density lipoprotein), but only now are they learning just how good good cholesterol can be. The Washington Post reports on a recent study, published in the Feb. 7 issue of the Journal of the American
Medical Association, in which researchers revisited four previously
conducted studies involving 1,455 participants, and found that people who both raised their good cholesterol levels and achieved
very low bad cholesterol levels showed evidence of the most plaque
removal. Dr. Steve Nissen, senior author of the study and chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, tells the Post that a small increase in HDL produces nearly as much of a benefit as LDL reduction. "In general," says Nissen, "when we’ve found a
therapy that slowed progression of disease, that translated into major
clinical benefits. This makes a lot of sense."