Lowering the Risk of Heart Disease

　　Like millions of other Americans, I come from a family with a histotry of the heart disease. My father had his first three heart attacks when he was only thirty-one. _____________(46) I grew up with heart disease. It was there, but I didn’t take it seriouly.

　　When I was thirty-one, my blood cholesterol（胆固醇）level was measured for the first time.It was 311 mg/dl, the doctor told me- an extremely high level that put me at a very high high risk of heart disease, especially with my family history. He sent me to the National Institutes of Health（NIH）to be screened for participation in a clinical trial._____________(47)

　　At NIH, physicians explained the degree of risk associated with my blood cholesterol level and the nature of the experiment. This test involves putting a tube through a leg artery（动脉） up to the heart._____________（48）

　　Learning about the risks of the experiment as well sa the risk associated with my raised blood cholesterol level scared the life out of me. Although I was excluded from participating in the study, the experience may well have saved my life.

　　For the first time, I began to realize the seriousness of high blood cholesterol.___________(49) But equally important, I got a taste of what it is like to be a patient, to have tests done on me and to think of myself as sick.This was hard to take.

　　This experience taught me two lifesaving lessons. First, although I felt fit and strong, I was actually at high risk for heart disease because of my high blood cholesterol level. And with my family histaory, it could not be ignored.________________(50)

　　A Second, I could lower my blood cholesterol level simply by changing what I ate.

　　B I was three years old at that time.

　　C There is not enough oxygen in the blood.

　　D It was a heart attack just waiting to happen

　　E The trial was designed to test the effect of lowering blood cholesterol on the risk of heart disease.

　　F The death rate for the test was only 1 in 100, I was assured.