HDL (high density lipoproteins) have always been known as the good cholesterol as they can pull “bad cholesterol” away from the blood vessel wall. At the 2017 North American Menopause Society Meeting held last month in Philadelphia, research was presented that shed a new light on HDL.
After menopause a rise in HDL may not be so beneficial. It appears that higher levels are due to HDL becoming dysfunctional and picking up more cholesterol which is subsequently redeposited in blood vessels. This phenomenon also exists with inflammatory diseases where elevated HDL is associated with high inflammation and actually leads to greater cardiovascular risk. Stay tuned as we learn more about different facets of HDL and it’s different types of particle sizes and effects.
Our pharmacist Carolyn Whiskin is not only a specialist in the field of biologic medication but is also a certified menopause practitioner with the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). She recently returned from the annual NAMS meeting in Philadelphia. Over the next several weeks we will be sharing some of the key learnings from this meeting. Be sure to follow our weekly blog and Facebook page for this information.