DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Will you answer some questions for me and a group of friends? What is the ideal cholesterol level? What constitutes an acceptable level and a danger level?

What medications are the best, if needed, and what are their side effects? – D.M.

ANSWER: A “desirable” cholesterol level is one below 200 mg/dL (5.18 mmol/L). Levels between 200 and 239 (5.18 and 6.19) put a person at “moderate” risk. High risk is anything above 239 (5.18). Don’t jump to medicines right away to lower cholesterol. Make some changes in your life. Get daily exercise. Lower the amount of fat and cholesterol in your diet. You want to be very careful about limiting saturated fat (fat in meat and whole-fat dairy products) and trans fat (fat found in many commercial foods, especially baked goods, and in deep-fried fast foods). Increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet. Lose weight, if need be.

Give the above a couple of months. If your cholesterol hasn’t budged, then you can think about medicines.

Statins – Mevacor, Lipitor, Zocor, Lescol, Pravachol and Crestor – are the most powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs. They can cause muscle pain and can damage muscles and the liver.

Zetia (ezetimibe) blocks cholesterol absorption. It has been known to produce stomach pain and diarrhea.

Niacin (nicotinic acid) lowers total cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol – good cholesterol. It can raise blood sugar and blood uric acid (the cause of gout), might harm the liver and might cause stomach pain.

Questran, WelChol and Colestid bind bile acids and cause them to be evacuated; bile acids are a source of cholesterol. Those medicines can bring on bloating, gas production and stomach distress.

Lopid and Tricor lower cholesterol and triglycerides (fats that add to artery clogging) in a variety of ways. They can upset the stomach, promote the formation of gallstones and might damage muscles.

As you see, none of these medicines comes without side effects. However, the incidence of side effects is actually quite low.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I recently experienced a brief bout of transient global amnesia. Prior to the attack, I had no knowledge of it. Will you please give me your thoughts and suggestions regarding this illness? – M.M.

ANSWER: Transient global amnesia is an unnerving event, but it rarely signals any permanent brain or nervous-system damage, and it rarely indicates future trouble.

When it strikes, transient global amnesia leaves a person bereft of memory and unable to retain new information. It strikes suddenly. The person remains alert and can communicate but is bewildered. In about six to 12 hours, memory returns and the person functions normally.

I had a friend who experienced this. He never had a repeat, and it happened to him more than 20 years ago.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Help! I am a diabetic. I have asked four doctors this question and can’t get an answer. If I take my blood for a sugar test from my left index finger, the reading is 15 to 30 points higher than it is from my right index finger.

I thought the blood inside me ran around the same to all body parts.

My regular doctor asked why didn’t I write that guy in the newspaper and ask him. So I’m asking the newspaper man. – R.T.

ANSWER: That guy in the newspaper doesn’t know either. It’s very strange. I open the discussion to all readers, lay and doctors, for an explanation.

Does it happen only in your index fingers? Have you tried comparing other fingers? Do so. Let me know.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please tell me what ministrokes are, and how to deal with them. My husband, according to our doctor, has had a couple. – J.T.

ANSWER: “Ministrokes” refers to two different circulatory problems of the brain. One is transient ischemic attacks, and the other is blockage of small brain arteries.

Transient ischemic attacks – TIAs – are temporary losses of brain function due to a short interruption of blood flow to a part of the brain. A person might experience weakness of an arm or leg, have difficulty speaking or become numb in a discrete area of the body.

The symptoms usually last for less than 15 minutes and can persist as long as 24 hours, but never longer. Ministrokes of this sort are often warnings that a full-blown stroke is in the offing. Doctors frequently put people who have had a ministroke on aspirin to prevent a full-blown stroke.

The other circulatory problem called a ministroke is the blockage of one or more small brain arteries. Such a blockage causes the death of a tiny section of brain. Sometimes, with one blockage, no symptoms occur. But as more small arteries become clogged, then memory deficits, clumsiness in walking and trouble using the correct word are examples of symptoms that can arise.

Both kinds of ministrokes are indications for an all-out stroke-prevention program. Blood pressure has to be maintained as close to normal as possible. Smoking must stop. Losing weight, when applicable, is important. If the person has diabetes, strict control of blood sugar is mandatory. Lowering cholesterol is important. And staying as active as possible keeps blood circulating to the brain.