Cholesterol and Heart Health
Cholesterol is usually related to heart conditions because low-density lipoproteins (LDL) can build up in your arteries and block blood flow. Your body needs cholesterol for healthy digestion, forming vitamin D, and creating certain hormones.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat, also known as a lipid. It circulates through your bloodstream in tiny molecules encased inside proteins. These packages are called lipoproteins. LDL is one of the primary lipoproteins in your blood. The other primary type is high-density lipoproteins (HDL). The third type of lipid, triglycerides, also circulates in your blood.
Measuring Cholesterol Levels
Measuring your HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol), and triglycerides will give you a total serum cholesterol or blood cholesterol level. This measurement helps your doctor determine your risk of developing heart conditions within the next ten years.
How Serum Cholesterol is Measured
Your serum cholesterol is measured with a simple biopsy. A doctor collects blood from your arm — enough to fill one or more small vials. The samples are sent to a lab for analysis. Before your blood draw, you’ll need to fast for at least eight hours.
When Should You Get a Serum Cholesterol Check?
A healthy adult should have a serum cholesterol check every four to six years. As you grow older, your doctor may advise you to have your cholesterol and other health markers checked annually, especially if you have risk factors for heart disorders, such as:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Family history of heart conditions
Monitoring Cholesterol During Medication
If you start a new medication or change medications to manage your cholesterol, you’ll likely need more frequent cholesterol checks. These tests help determine if the medication is working.
Understanding Cholesterol Test Results
It usually takes several days or a few weeks to get your biopsy results. Your lab report will indicate your serum cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), which include:
- HDL levels
- 20 per cent of your triglyceride levels
How LDL and HDL Affect Arteries
LDL is the type of cholesterol that forms waxy plaque in the walls of arteries. Too much plaque can limit blood flow. Plaque can also rupture, spilling cholesterol, fats, and waste products into the blood vessel. This can lead to clot formation. A clot in a coronary artery can cause a heart attack, while a clot in the brain can cause a stroke.
HDL cholesterol helps regulate LDL cholesterol by moving LDL particles out of the bloodstream. Higher levels of HDL are associated with better cardiovascular health. For triglycerides, lower levels are better.
What Causes High Triglyceride Levels?
When you eat, your body converts unused calories into triglycerides, which are stored in fat cells. Consuming more calories than your body can burn leads to weight gain and higher triglyceride levels.
Treatment for High Serum Cholesterol
Treating high serum cholesterol often involves regular exercise and a healthy diet low in saturated fat. If lifestyle changes don’t help you reach your LDL cholesterol targets, you may need medication.
The most common prescription drugs for cholesterol control are statins. Different types of statins work in various ways to lower LDL levels, and some may also improve HDL and triglycerides. However, the primary focus is on LDL reduction.
Risk Factors for High Cholesterol
Aside from poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, some risk factors are beyond your control. Your cholesterol profile is influenced by your family history. Even if you eat healthily and exercise, you may inherit high cholesterol from your parents.
Cholesterol and Aging
As you age, your serum cholesterol tends to increase. This is true for both men and women. Women generally have lower LDL cholesterol levels than men before menopause, but LDL levels often rise after menopause.
