Bloomberg on MSN: Merck pill cuts cholesterol by 64% in study, rivaling shots Merck & Co.’s experimental cholesterol pill slashed levels of the artery-clogging plaque far more than older tablets in the latest study to show it may rival powerful injections for high-risk patients ... WASHINGTON (AP) — A new kind of pill sharply reduced artery-clogging cholesterol in people who remain at high risk of heart attacks despite taking statins, researchers reported Wednesday. It’s still ...

Understanding the Context

A powerful cholesterol-lowering drug may be changing the rules of heart disease prevention. Researchers found that evolocumab, typically used for people who already have cardiovascular disease, can ... Overview Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the blood. The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells.

Key Insights

But high levels of cholesterol can raise the risk of heart disease. With high cholesterol, fats and other substances can build up in blood vessels called arteries. This buildup is called plaque. As more plaque forms over time, the arteries can become narrowed or clogged. That makes ...

Final Thoughts

These tests help check the medicine's effect on your liver. Children and cholesterol treatment Most often, making changes to diet and exercise is the first treatment for children age 2 and older who have high cholesterol. Children age 10 and older who have very high cholesterol levels might be prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins. Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers Diet can play an important role in lowering your cholesterol. Here are some foods to improve your cholesterol and protect your heart. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as the "good" cholesterol because it helps remove other forms of cholesterol from the bloodstream.

A higher level of HDL cholesterol is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that's in every cell in the body. At healthy levels, cholesterol does useful work.