The following is the important information about Hepatitis C. This is the disease information that you must know.
American Liver Foundation encourages people who may have hepatitis C to be tested.
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. If left undetected, hepatitis C can lead to serious medical complications. Even while a person feels healthy, the virus may be causing permanent liver damage leading to scarring (cirrhosis), liver cancer, liver failure or death. (more…)
The latest data as recorded by the American Heart Association shows an alarming rate of high cholesterol levels among Americans. Any total cholesterol level above 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood (written mg/dL) is considered borderline high. Extremely high total cholesterol is any reading above 240 mg/dL and one that puts you at risk for heart disease, liver failure, and other health problems. Here is some information that may help you better understand this epidemic of American health.
* 107 million, or 1 in 5 adults, has cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL.
* Almost 38 million more have levels above 240 mg/dL.
* More women over age 45 have high cholesterol than men.
* Almost 30 million prescriptions are written each year for cholesterol lowering drugs, accounting for $20 billion in annual sales for the pharmaceutical industry.
* Americans spend $10 billion per year on the statin drug, Lipitor alone
* In 2001, the statin drug, Baycol used to lower cholesterol was taken off the market due to toxic side effects.
* Most drugs prescribed today to lower cholesterol are statin drugs.
* Asians on average have an LDL cholesterol level of less than 95 because of their low fat diet. Anything under 100 for LDL cholesterol is considered good.
* Diet and lifestyle changes, without the use of drugs, have been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol in one year’s time by 40 percent on average (from 144 down to 87 mg/dL.)
