News Health & Medicine

HDL ‘good’ cholesterol isn’t always good for heart health

The link between HDL and heart disease isn’t clear-cut

A vial of blood sit on top of piece of paper with the results of a cholesterol test.

The amount of cholesterol that HDL particles carry, commonly reported on blood tests, doesn’t appear to be the most important detail when it comes to heart health.

GIPhotoStock/Getty Images

By Aimee Cunningham

“Good” and “bad” cholesterol: These well-known characters have long starred in the saga of heart health. But in a major plot twist, “good” cholesterol, it turns out, is not always so good.