If you are like most people, you know that it is important to keep your cholesterol in a healthy range. In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which means less than 100 mg / dL low density lipoprotein (LDL), more than 60 mg / dL high density lipoprotein (HDL) and less than 150 mg / dL triglycerides.
But beyond just knowing that cholesterol is too high or not, understanding the role cholesterol plays in promoting and preventing disease can help you stay healthy, he says. Deirdre Mattina, MD, preventive cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic. “When you learn more about cholesterol, it will help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor. This can help your care team identify your risk of heart disease early and develop a treatment plan that will help you live longer with more vitality, ”she says.
So what should you know about cholesterol to prevent heart disease, stroke and more? Read more.
1. Total cholesterol is only part of the picture.
When you get the results of a blood test, there is a good chance that you will focus on total cholesterol, reducing this number to zero. However, Dr. Mattina says that what is more important than total cholesterol is understanding each of the different components that make up that score. “You have to break down the different types of cholesterol to get a complete picture,” says Dr. Mattina. A typical cholesterol test will measure the following:
- LDL: It is considered “bad” cholesterol because it leads to the buildup of plaque in your arteries and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. (The stiffer and narrower the arteries, the harder it is for blood to flow freely to and from the heart.) For the general population, less than 100 is ideal, and a score above 160 is considered high. However, if you have already been diagnosed with heart disease, you will want LDL to be less than 70 – and possibly even lower, he adds. Randal Thomas, MD, medical director of the Mayo Clinic’s cardiac rehabilitation program.
- HDL: It is considered “good” cholesterol because it is transports LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is broken down and shattered from the body. For men, the ideal range is between 40 and 100 HDL; for women, 50 to 100 is ideal, says Dr. Thomas
- Triglycerides: This is a type of fat in the blood that your body uses for energy. For most people, a triglyceride score above 150 is considered high, says Dr. Thomas, and over 1,000 is dangerously high. The combination of high triglycerides with low “good” HDL cholesterol or high “bad” LDL cholesterol can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
To get a more accurate picture of how your cholesterol may put you at risk for heart disease, add all three components of cholesterol and then lower your HDL. “That the number tells us how many cholesterol particles are circulating that endanger you “, says Dr. Mattina. (Per CDC Guidelines, you will want this number to be 250 mg / dL or less.)
2. Even if you have normal cholesterol levels, you may have a heart attack.
For women in particular New thinking is that not only cholesterol particles transmit the risk of heart disease, but the way cholesterol behaves, says Dr. Mattina. “Many people with a normal cholesterol count have heart attacks and their cholesterol is probably behaving in an inflammatory way,” she says.
The best way to find out if you have inflammatory cholesterol particles in your blood is to ask for a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) test, says Dr. Mattina. “This is not checked in a typical cholesterol panel and is not specific to heart disease, but it will give your doctor a general feeling of inflammation in your body,” which will then help you target your treatment plan. (CRP is a byproduct of inflammation and experts agree that it is as good at predicting heart disease as measuring LDL.)
If your C-reactive protein is high, your doctor may also order one coronary calcium score to better understand the risk of heart disease. This test involves a low-dose heart scan to look for hardened cholesterol in the arteries, says Dr. Mattina. “If you have a high calcium score, it tells us that there is a high cholesterol in the arteries around the heart,” she says. “Then we will want to consider cholesterol-lowering drugs as a treatment option to prevent heart attack.”
3. Eating well can improve your cholesterol score, but you may still need it drugs.
There is no doubt that certain unhealthy habits will cause an increase in triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and cause HDL levels to drop. In accordance with American Heart Association, eating a diet high in saturated fats and simple carbohydrates, smoking, insufficient exercise and overweight or obesity have been shown to have a negative impact on cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. On the other hand, improving your diet by choosing healthier fats and increasing your fiber intake, more exercise, and quitting smoking can go a long way in maintaining cholesterol control.
That being said, even if you make all the right choices in an effort to improve your cholesterol profile, medications may still be needed – and it’s important to understand that you may not be able to improve your cholesterol just by styling. of life, says Dr. Mattina. “This is especially true if you have had a heart attack when we need to drastically lower LDL cholesterol,” she says. However, if you make major changes in your habits, you can affect the total dose or amount of cholesterol medications you will use for maintenance. ”
4. Preventive cardiologists can help you maintain your cholesterol level and heart health.
Given that heart disease is the killer no. 1 in this country, the most among us we live with high cholesterol, says Dr. Mattina – and the longer the cholesterol persists in the blood, the more likely it is to accumulate in the blood vessels and cause plaque to build up and inflammation to increase. Moreover, there is very little evidence that we can reverse the damage caused by high levels of “bad” cholesterol, she says. “For the most part, the best thing we can do is stabilize cholesterol and prevent it from getting worse,” says Dr. Mattina. “Which means prevention is key. And the sooner you start, the better. ”
If you have a relative who had a heart attack in their 30s or 40s, your doctor may suggest that you see a cardiologist when you are 20, says Dr. Mattina. “I also like to see women of childbearing age, regardless of their family history, because we see that the risk of heart disease increases when women experience things like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia during pregnancy.” Chronic conditions that cause chronic inflammation, such as autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can also put you at a higher risk of heart disease – even if your cholesterol isn’t high, adds Dr. Mattina. Ask your doctor what he or she thinks is right for you, given your health history.
If you want to be proactive, schedule an appointment with a preventive cardiologist, regardless of your age or risk factors, says Dr. Mattina. “This type of specialist will be able to assess your cholesterol and your overall risk of heart disease and help you develop a long-term health plan,” she says. “When it comes to heart disease, the sooner you identify the risk and treat it, if necessary, the better.”
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