Cholesterol drug still in testing phase is creating a lot of buzz. Here’s why.

The cholesterol drug anacetrapib -- or, rather, the hubbub about it -- shows one thing: Consumers desperately want a cholesterol drug that’s both effective and safe.

Anacetrapid is showing promise in raising good cholesterol and lowering bad cholesterol. And the Booster Shots blog and this related video explain the optimism surrounding the clinical trials so far.

But at least one fact has gotten lost amid the excitement: Many people don’t need to take drugs to lower their cholesterol and boost their HDL or good cholesterol. MayoClinic.com offer guidelines on how changing your diet and increasing your exercise can help.

And the American Heart Assn. offers this list of simple cooking tips that can help lower your cholesterol.

How can you be sure whether you have high cholesterol? The only way to know is through a blood test; there are no symptoms. MedlinePlus offers this primer that explains the meaning of HDL, LDL and triglycerides tests and why they matter to overall cholesterol.