Categories: Health

Good cholesterol HDL can become dysfunctional and contributes to heart disease development

According to a medical team at Cleveland Clinic, good cholesterol, or HDL, also has a nasty side that can increase the risk of heart attacks.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol normally helps to keep arteries clear and is good for heart health.

But the team at the Cleveland Clinic showed it can become abnormal and lead to blocked blood vessels.

Doctors say people should still eat healthily, but that the good cholesterol story is a more complex tale than previously thought.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is “bad” because it is deposited in the walls of arteries and causes hard plaques to build up that can cause blockages, resulting in heart attacks and stroke.

HDL cholesterol is “good” because the cholesterol is instead shipped to the liver.

HDL cholesterol also has a nasty side that can increase the risk of heart attacks

The evidence shows that having a high ratio of good to bad cholesterol is good for health.

However, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic say trials aimed at boosting levels of HDL have “not been successful” and the role of good cholesterol is clearly more complicated.

In their study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, doctors showed how HDL cholesterol could become abnormal.

One of the researchers, Dr. Stanley Hazen, said HDL cholesterol was being modified in the walls of the artery: “In the artery walls it is acting very differently to in the circulation. It can become dysfunctional, and contributes to the development of heart disease.”

Small quantities of the abnormal HDL seep back into the bloodstream and this can be detected.

Tests on 627 patients showed that levels of abnormal HDL in the blood could be used to predict the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Stanley Hazen added: “This data does not change the message of eat healthily.”

Instead, he said the findings would be used to develop new tests for abnormal HDL cholesterol and research on drugs to help block its formation.

Kathryn R. Bown

Kathryn - Our health specialist likes to share with the readers the latest news from the field. Nobody understands better than her the relation between healthy mind and healthy body.

Recent Posts

Donald Trump and Elon Musk Celebrate Election Victory at UFC 309

Image source: Wikimedia Commons President-elect Donald Trump celebrated his election victory at the Ultimate Fighting…

5 days ago

White House 2024: Donald Trump Wins, Kamala Harris Calls Him to Concede Election

Millions of voters across the US chose to return Donald Trump to the White House…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Donald Trump Declares Victory as He Addresses Jubilant Supporters in Florida

Donald Trump declares victory in the US election as he addresses jubilant supporters in Florida.…

2 weeks ago

Stocks Soaring as Donald Trump Closes in on US Victory

Stocks around the world are rising as Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Kamala Harris Cancels Election Night Party as Path to Victory Narrows

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and taken a lead over Kamala…

2 weeks ago

Quincy Jones Dead at 91

Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray…

2 weeks ago