High Cholesterol & Lowering CholesterolHypercholesterolemia or a high level of cholesterol in the blood poses a significant threat to a person’s health. |
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| When a person has too much LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood, it can slowly build up within the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. (Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body). | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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High Cholesterol Ctd
Together with other substances, high deposits of cholesterol can form plaque - a thick, hard deposit that can clog the arteries.
Over time, plaque causes the arteries to become narrower, decreasing blood flow and causing a condition called atherosclerosis. When atherosclerosis affects the coronary arteries (the blood vessels that supply the muscles of the heart), the condition is called coronary artery disease (CAD). Large plaque areas can lead to chest pain called angina. This condition is triggered by the lack of blood and oxygen to the heart. Angina is a common sign of CAD. Rupture of cholesterol plaques can lead to the formation of blood clots. These block the flow of blood to parts of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. When atherosclerosis affects the blood vessels that supply the brain, the condition is called cerebral vascular disease, which puts a person at risk of having a stroke. The levels of HDL, LDL and total cholesterol are all indicators
for atherosclerosis and heart attack risk. People who have a cholesterol
level of 275 or greater are at significant risk for a heart attack,
despite a favorable HDL level. In addition, people who have normal
cholesterol levels but low HDL levels are also at increased risk
for a heart attack. The main goal in lowering cholesterol is to
lower LDL level and raise the HDL level. Ideally, cholesterol levels
should be tested every three to five years. The medical community
uses the following guidelines to ascertain the risk of heart disease:
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Less than 100 mg/dl |
Optimal |
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100 to 129 mg/dl |
Normal |
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130 to 159 mg/dl |
Borderline high |
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160 to 189mg/dl |
High |
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190 mg/dl or greater |
Very high |
Total cholesterol
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Less than 200 mg/dl |
Desirable |
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200 to 239 mg/dl |
Borderline high |
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240 mg/dl or greater |
High |
HDL cholesterol
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Less than 40mg/dl |
Low |
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60 mg/dl or greater |
High |
Triglycerides
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Less than 150mg/dl |
Optimal |
*The level of cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood.
One should bear in mind that:
· High LDL values are considered undesirable, but
· High HDL values are considered desirable (as HDL cholesterol transports cholesterol from the tissues back to the liver where it is secreted in the bile)
Cardiac Risk Ratio = Total Cholesterol divided by HDL Cholesterol
A cardiac risk ratio greater than 7 is considered a warning.