Old cholesterol guidelines said patients should target certain numbers for “good” and “bad” cholesterol. New guidelines focus on drug “therapy” for a wider range of at-risk people, even those currently healthy, and more intense doses for those at greater risk.

Cholesterol plays a key role in how well your body digests food, balances hormones, and functions at the cellular level. Old cholesterol guidelines said patients should target certain numbers for “good” and “bad” cholesterol. New guidelines focus on drug “therapy” for a wider range of at-risk people, even those currently healthy, and more intense doses for those at greater risk – doubling the amount of people on cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Currently, 15 percent of American adults use drugs such as Lipitor, Zocor, and Crestor to the tune of $21.3 billion in 2010 alone. With the broadened definitions of who may be at risk, and therefore may benefit from these drugs, the number of people taking these drugs may double.

Like most drugs, statins come with negative side effects. These include muscle damage, memory loss, and diabetes. While the new guidelines’ creators dismissed these concerns, patients – whose bodies will be affected – may feel differently.

What do you think about the new cholesterol guidelines? Do they seem too excessive or appropriate?