High Cholesterol and Your Health

What is high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your
body and many foods of animal origin such as poultry,
beef, fsh, eggs and dairy products. Fruits and vegetables
do not contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is necessary to keep
the body functioning normally. The liver manufactures enough
cholesterol for normal cell processes such as building cell walls
and producing hormones. In children, cholesterol plays an
important role in the development of the brain and nervous system.
How does high cholesterol affect your body?
A number of studies have found that a high level of cholesterol is
a major factor in developing atherosclerosis, the narrowing of arteries through
a buildup of cholesterol deposits, called plaque. Too much cholesterol can
accumulate depending on the kind of foods you eat and the rate at which
your body breaks it down. Cholesterol buildup in the arteries can narrow your arteries and
allow less blood to pass through. It is the most common cause of heart disease and stroke
and happens so slowly that you may not even be aware of it. Approximately one in every
six adults16.3% of the U.S. adult populationhas high total cholesterol.
What are the risk factors of high cholesterol?
Some health conditions, as well as lifestyle and genetic factors, can put people at a higher
risk for developing high cholesterol. However, everyone can take steps to lower their risk of
high cholesterol.
Age Because cholesterol tends to rise as people get older, everyones risk for high
cholesterol increases with age. Womens LDL (bad cholesterol) levels rise
more quickly than do mens. Until around age 55, women tend to have lower
LDL levels than men do. At any age, men tend to have lower HDL (good
cholesterol) levels than women do.
Diabetes Having diabetes can also make you more likely to develop high cholesterol.
Heredity High cholesterol can run in families. People who have an inherited genetic
condition, called familial hypercholesterolemia, have very high LDL
cholesterol levels beginning at a young age.
Unhealthy
Behaviors While there are many things you can do to keep your cholesterol normal,
some unhealthy behaviors can contribute to your risk for high cholesterol,
which in turn raises your risk of heart disease.
Diet Certain foods raise your cholesterol levels. These foods
tend to contain saturated fats, trans-fatty acids (trans
fats), dietary cholesterol, or triglycerides.
Weight Being overweight can raise LDL, lower HDL, and raise
total cholesterol levels.
Physical
Inactivity Not getting enough exercise can make you gain weight,
which can lead to increased cholesterol levels.
What are the signs and symptoms of high cholesterol?
When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your
arteries. This can lead to heart disease and stroke.
There are generally no symptoms of high cholesterol. Many people have never had their
cholesterol checked, so they dont know theyre at risk. A simple blood test can tell you your
level. The good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent high cholesterolor to
reduce your levels if they are high.
What can you do to maintain your normal cholesterol level?
You can take several steps to maintain a normal cholesterol level.
1. Get a Blood Test High cholesterol usually has no signs or symptoms. Only a doctors
check will reveal it.
Your doctor can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol levels. The test is called
a lipoprotein profle. It measures several kinds of cholesterol as well as triglycerides.
Some doctors do a simpler blood test that just checks total and HDL cholesterol.
It is recommended that healthy adults get their cholesterol levels checked every fve
years. Desirable Cholesterol Levels:
Total cholesterol .............................. Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL (bad cholesterol) .................... Less than 100 mg/dL (Optimal level)
HDL (good cholesterol) .................. 40 mg/dL or higher
Triglycerides .................................... Less than 150 mg/dL
2. Eat a Healthy Diet A healthy diet can help keep blood cholesterol levels down. Avoid
saturated fat, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol, which tend to raise cholesterol levels.
Other types of fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, can actually
lower blood cholesterol levels. Eating fber can also help lower cholesterol.
For some people, eating too many carbohydrates can lower HDL (good cholesterol) and
raise triglycerides. Drinking alcohol can also raise triglycerides.
Too much alcohol can cause high blood pressure, which increases
the risk for heart disease and stroke.
3. Maintain a Healthy Weight Being overweight or obese can
raise your bad cholesterol levels. Losing weight can help lower
your cholesterol.
To determine whether your weight is in a healthy range, doctors often
calculate a number called the body mass index (BMI). Doctors
sometimes also use waist and hip measurements to measure a
persons excess body fat.
4. Exercise Regularly Physical activity can help maintain a healthy
weight and lower cholesterol. Adults should engage in moderate-
intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
5. Dont Smoke Smoking injures blood vessels and speeds up the
hardening of the arteries. Smoking greatly increases a persons
risk for heart disease and stroke.
If you dont smoke, dont start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower
your risk for heart disease and stroke. Call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at
1-866-QUIT-YES to sign-up for free smoking cessation program.
Breathing secondhand smoke increases a persons risk for a heart attack and other
heart conditions.
6. Treat High Cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medications in addition to
lifestyle changes. Talk with your doctor about how to reduce your risk for heart disease.
Your treatment plan will depend on your current LDL level and risk for heart disease
and stroke. Your risk for heart disease and stroke depends on other risk factors
including high blood pressure, smoking status, age, HDL level, and family history of
early heart disease. In addition, people with existing cardiovascular disease or diabetes
are at high risk.
Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: www.nhlbi.nih.gov
Illinois Department of Public Health: www.idph.state.il.us