A lot of people don't take the risks of high cholesterol very seriously.After all, one out of five people have high cholesterol. But could something so common really be a serious health risk?
Unfortunately, yes. Cholesterol is a direct contributor to cardiovascular disease, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks. There's a link between exercise and cholesterol. A sedentary life can keep your LDL, bad cholesterol, levels high and your HDL, good cholesterol, levels low, just the opposite of the way you want them. But incorporating exercise into your life may help lower your cholesterol levels on its own and help you stay at a healthy weight. "Despite all of the amazing medicines and treatments we have, cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death and illness in our society," said Laurence S Sperling, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
All about high-risk cholesterol numbers
When it comes to high cholesterol risks, it's tough to keep the details straight. We might have a vague idea of whether our cholesterol is "good" or "bad," but we forget the actual numbers by the time we get to the parking lot outside our doctor's office. So it may be worth reviewing the basics. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance circulating in your blood. Some of your cholesterol comes from the foods you eat. But the bulk of it is actually made in your own body, specifically in the liver. Cholesterol does have some good uses. It is needed to make some hormones, and it is important for the function of our cells. But an excess of it in the bloodstream can lead to trouble.
Cholesterol comes in several different forms, but doctors focus mostly on two: LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. LDL is also called "bad cholesterol." LDL cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Most people should aim for a level of less than 100 mg/dL. However, people who already have heart disease may need to aim for under 70 mg/dL. HDL is "good cholesterol." This type of cholesterol attaches to bad cholesterol and brings it to the liver, where it's filtered out of the body. So HDL cholesterol reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in your system. You should aim for 60 mg/dL or higher.
Triglycerides are not cholesterol but another type of fat floating in your blood. Just as with bad cholesterol, having a high level of triglycerides increases your risk of cardiovascular problems. Aim for a level of less than 150 mg/dL. So although we all talk about high cholesterol risks, the term is a little misleading. What we really mean is high levels of bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and a low level of good HDL cholesterol. What about total cholesterol? While anything under 200 mg/dL is still considered the target, most experts don't focus on the number. It doesn't mean all that much.
How harmful is high cholesterol?
Everyone has cholesterol in their blood. But if your levels of LDL are too high, the excess can accumulate on the walls of your arteries. This build-up of cholesterol and other substances, called plaque, can narrow the artery like a clogged drain. It can also lead to arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which turns the normally flexible tissue into more brittle. Plaques can form anywhere. If they form in the carotid artery in the neck, it's carotid artery disease. When they form in the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle with blood, it's called coronary artery disease. Like any organ, the heart needs a good supply of blood to work. If it doesn't get that blood, you could get angina. There are other high cholesterol risks. If these plaques break open, they can form a clot. If a clot lodges in an artery and completely chokes off the blood supply, the cells don't get the nutrients and oxygen they need and die. If a clot gets to the brain and blocks blood flow, it can cause a stroke. If a clot lodges in the coronary arteries, it can cause a heart attack.
Treatment
So what should you do? Go to the doctor. Every adult over 20 should have a cholesterol test at least once every five years.
