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The Correct Answer: C) Reducing LDL cholesterol
Cholesterol-lowering strategies, including a low saturated-fat diet,
weight loss, physical activity and medication, all focus on reaching a
particular LDL goal. The exact goal depends on your overall risk of
heart disease, which is determined by your age, sex and other major
cardiovascular risk factors. Risk factors are characteristics that point
to a higher than average risk of developing heart disease or having a
heart attack or stroke within a set time frame, such as 20 years. You
can modify some risk factors, such as smoking and high blood pressure,
by changing your habits and taking medication if needed. Other risk
factors — specifically your age, sex, history of heart disease and
family history — are beyond your control. Having even one risk factor
increases your chance of developing heart disease at some time.
Individually, the major risk factors have dose-dependent effects on your
heart-disease risk — the higher your blood pressure, cholesterol or
weight, the more it increases your risk. Also, for every risk factor you
have, the age at which you're likely to have a first heart attack or
stroke falls by a decade.The good news is that measures you take to
reduce your LDL cholesterol will also help reduce your blood pressure
and weight and control your diabetes, if you have it.
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