Researchers say low levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) (also called bad cholesterol) seem to be safe for heart patients who are taking statins.
Those taking high doses of statins can lower their LDL cholesterol from over 200 milligrams/deciliters to as low as 40 mg/dL. No one knows whether such levels are safe.Dr. Christopher P. Cannon, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and his colleagues studied patients who had ultra-low cholesterol levels. They found it was better for the patients when the cholesterol went down to 40 or 50 mg/dL, rather than 70 or 80 mg/dL.
Those with cholesterol levels of lower than 60 mg/dL had fewer heart attacks, strokes, cardiac death, chest pain or additional heart procedures compared with other groups.
It's recommended that LDL cholesterol should be lower than 100mg/dL.
Source: American College of Cardiology.
