A Canadian researcher has come up with a new way of testing whether treatment for high cholesterol is actually working. By measuring the plaque clogging patients' arteries, he hopes to help doctors prevent more strokes, heart attacks and early deaths.

Nearly half of all adult Canadians have high cholesterol, along with the prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs that accompany the diagnosis.

While doctors can tell if a patient's cholesterol is going down, checking on the plaque has been problematic.

And it's not the cholesterol itself which puts sufferers at risk of heart attack and stroke -- it's the build up of artery-clogging plaque.

The trouble is that there has not been, until now, a way for doctors to monitor whether the drug treatments are tackling the actual heart of the problem.

For example, drugs help lower blood cholesterol levels in some patients, but they still end up suffering a heart attack or stroke.

To clear up the confusion, Dr. David Spence of the Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario came up with a new kind of test that measures the actual growth of plaque in arteries.

Using a 2D ultrasound, Dr. Spence peers into the arteries in patients' necks. From what he sees, he can measure the total area of plaque in the two arteries feeding blood to the brain.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher, the new test is a significant advancement.

"Trying to treat arteries without measuring plaque is like flying with your eyes closed or driving with your eyes closed," Dr. Spence told CTV News.

Having studied more than 1,600 patients and discovering that, despite treatment, more than 60 per cent still saw plaque growing, Dr. Spence says the test helps identify those who need to step up their treatment.

"For example, if I've got somebody who hasn't quit smoking yet and I can show them pictures of their arteries ... and tell them their plaque is 20 per cent worse this year ... that's much more convincing than statistics."

For patient Joe Ruitenbeek, whose cholesterol went down as a result of drug treatment, the test painted a stark warning -- it showed his plaque levels still creeping up.

When he saw the results with his own eyes, he knew he needed to follow an even stricter diet and exercise program.

"I feel I am doing the right thing and my chances of survival are better," Ruitenbeek said, calling the results "fascinating."

The researchers agree, and are so convinced in the value of their plaque area test that they are now working on a 3D ultrasound version that would provide an even better view of the state of patients' arteries.

And that, they hope, will mean an even clearer warning about their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Late last year, spurred by new research on the risks of high cholesterol, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada released new, more aggressive screening and treatment guidelines.

According to the foundation, the best ways of reducing your cholesterol include:

• Choosing foods high in poly- and monounsaturated fats such as olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn oils, soft margarines made with these oils, nuts and seeds.
• Avoiding foods high in trans- and saturated fat, such as margarines, baked goods and fried foods.
• Eating more fruit and vegetables, to ensure the minimum 5 to 10 daily servings suggested by Health Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
• Increasing soluble fibre by eating more high fibre cereals such as oat bran, as well as legumes and pectin-rich fruits.
• Achieving and maintaining a healthy body mass, particularly avoiding excess weight in the abdominal region.
• Increasing physical activity routines to include an ideal 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.
• Becoming smoke-free.