The Medscape Physician Compensation Report is the most comprehensive and widely used doctor salary survey in the United States for the eighth year in a row.
Workers from various industries were asked if they'd used marijuana or hashish at least once over the past month. The study was led by Roberta Smith, of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The new tax adds 1.5 cents per ounce to the cost of sugared and diet beverages, including sodas, fruit drinks and energy drinks -- 18 cents for a 12-ounce container. The drinks have been linked to unhealthy diets and obesity.
The patients range in age from 12 to 84. Six patients have been hospitalized, including one who developed kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
Night owls also had more health problems -- twice the risk of psychological disorders, 30 percent more risk of diabetes, 25 percent increased risk of neurological problems, 23 percent higher risk of gastrointestinal disorders and 22 percent increased risk of respiratory disease.
The CDC currently recommends that men who have traveled to a Zika-active region either use condoms or abstain from sex for at least 6 months.
The increases reflect a continued rise in doctors' income over the past 7 years. While there are many reasons involved, the main one comes down to the basic rules of economics.
The FDA has approved the first medical device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to detect diabetic retinopathy in adults with diabetes that can be used by non-eye care professionals.
The study authors concluded that blood pressure reduction -- not the medications themselves -- is what lowers dementia risk.
Among those who don't suffer from sleep apnea but only get six hours of rest a night, the risk of a crash is 33 percent higher than if they sleep eight hours every night, the researchers added.
The research showed that a woman entering menopause 10 years later than her peers was able to recall one extra word on a 15-word test for every year as she grew older.
There are two main types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). (Lipoproteins are made of fat and protein, and serve as vehicles for your cholesterol to travel through the blood.) Cardiologists are often asked about low-density lipoprotein (LDL) versus high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The difference is important to understand.
HDL clears from the body via the liver. HDL may therefore prevent the buildup of plaque, protect your arteries, and protect you from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It is considered the “good” cholesterol, and higher levels are better. A good goal to aim for is higher than 55 mg/dL for women and 45 mg/dL for men. The higher your HDL cholesterol numbers, the lower your risk is for heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke.
Although HDL levels are driven by family genetics, you can improve HDL levels in three key ways:
Lastly, although primarily used to decrease high LDL, some statin medications may potentially increase HDL levels moderately. Any medical treatment option should be discussed with your doctor. Importantly, high HDL does not protect you from the untoward effects of high LDL.
LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol. It carries cholesterol to your arteries, where it may collect in the vessel walls and contribute to plaque formation, known as atherosclerosis. This can lead to decreased blood flow to the heart muscle (coronary artery disease), leg muscles (peripheral artery disease), or abrupt closure of an artery in the heart or brain, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Over a third of the US population has high LDL cholesterol. Diagnosis is made via blood testing, so if you don’t check, you won’t know.
For LDL, the lower the number the better. A good goal to keep in mind is less than 130 mg/dL if you don’t have atherosclerotic disease or diabetes. It should be no more than 100 mg/dL, or even 70mg/dL, if you have any of those conditions or high total cholesterol. It’s very important to set your own target cholesterol levels with your doctor. Obesity, a large waist circumference, a sedentary lifestyle, or a diet rich in red meat, full-fat dairy, saturated fat, trans fats, and processed foods can lead to high LDL cholesterol.
Lifestyle and diet changes are the main ways to prevent or lower high LDL. A trial of eating a low-fat diet, regular aerobic activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and smaller waist circumference is an appropriate first step. It is best to set a timeline to achieve your goals with your doctor. In some cases, if those lifestyle changes are not enough, your physician may suggest a cholesterol lowering medication, such as a statin. If you are considering over-the-counter herbal or ayurvedic medications for cholesterol, please discuss those with your physician first as well.
Rarely, very high LDL is genetic and passed down in families. This is called familial hypercholesterolemia and is caused by a genetic mutation that decreases the liver’s ability to clear excess cholesterol. This condition can lead to very high LDL levels, and heart attack or stroke at a young age in multiple generations. Those individuals may require special medical treatment for prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Remember, knowledge is the first step. If you don’t know your cholesterol levels, get tested. That will give you and your physician a starting point for lifestyle changes and medications if needed. In the meantime, adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle, and do it with friends and family no matter their ages. There’s no time like the present to prevent heart disease.
The post Cholesterol: Understanding HDL vs. LDL appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.
And although the United States as a whole has made inroads against the number one killer, progress has been slower in comparison to several other countries.
