Good cholesterol too may raise heart attack risk

Good cholesterol, which helps battle heart diseases, may sometimes raise the risk of heart attacks, says a new study.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. There are two types of cholesterols - high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL cholesterol is known as good cholesterol, because high levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attacks.

High levels of LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol in the blood can, however, increase the risk of heart diseases. If it increases in the blood, it can stick to the walls of arteries.

The new study has shown HDL is not always good for the heart. If it exists in defective forms, it can increase the risk of a heart attack.

Common Genetic Risk Factor For Colorectal And Prostate Cancer Identified

A study led by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) has found that one of seven genetic risk factors previously identified as increasing the probability of developing prostate cancer also increases the probability of developing colorectal cancer.

As in the previous prostate cancer study, which was also conducted by USC researchers and published in the April 2007 edition of Nature Genetics, the colorectal cancer risk factor is located in a region of the human genome devoid of known genes on chromosome 8.

The study's complete findings are published in the online edition of Nature Genetics.

Even low levels of weekly exercise reduced blood pressure

Researchers have given people yet another reason to start exercising, by finding that even low levels of weekly workouts help drive down blood pressure.

The study was conducted by researchers, who invited 106 healthy but sedentary civil servants between the ages of 40 and 60 to take part in an exercise programme for 12 weeks.

Blood pressure, blood cholesterol, weight, hip and waist girth, and overall fitness (functional capacity) were all measured at the start and finish of the 12 week study. Most people lasted the course.

The researchers noted that systolic blood pressure and waist and hip girth fell significantly in both groups of walkers, as well as an increase in overall fitness in these groups.

Falls of a few mm in blood pressure and shrinkage of a few centimetres in hip and waist circumference are enough to make a difference to an individual's risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease.

The study is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

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