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New Recommendation for LDL Levels
By
Sally Finder-Koziol
How low should you go? Maybe another 30 points lower if you’re talking “bad” cholesterol levels. That’s according to the American Heart Association, which recently revised its advice for fighting coronary artery disease, based on evolving evidence from clinical trials. The new guidelines say that while LDL cholesterol should definitely be less than 100, it’s reasonable to aim for a level less than 70.
How do you accomplish that? One way is to get moving—every single day. The new guidelines bump up recommendations for exercise from 30–60 minutes three or four times a week to 30–60 minutes at least five days a week, preferably seven days a week. In addition to this moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, adding resistance training two days a week is encouraged.
Also new on the list of suggestions for those with heart disease: flu shots. Experts say flu shots are a must for people who have chronic cardiovascular disorders because of their increased risks for complications from having the flu.
The other guidelines are:
- Smoking: Smokers should quit completely and everyone should avoid exposure to tobacco smoke. Secondhand smoke poses risks, too.
- Blood pressure: It should be less than 140/90, or less than 130/80 if the patient has diabetes or a chronic kidney disease.
- Weight management: Body mass index should be 18.5–24.9. Waist circumference should be less than 40 inches in men, less than 35 inches in women.
- Diabetes management: HbA1c (a test to measure the average amount of sugar in your blood over the past two to three months) levels should be less than 7 percent.
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