10 Facts about Cholesterol

1. Your liver produces about 1,000 mg of cholesterol a day — all the cholesterol your body needs. Another 200 to 500 mg can come from the food you eat.

2. Compelling evidence shows that the atherosclerotic process (buildup of fatty plaque in arteries) starts in childhood and progresses slowly into adulthood. Children from high-risk families (parents with high cholesterol, or parents or grandparents with heart disease at 55 years or younger) should have their cholesterol levels tested.

3. Your blood cholesterol is primarily made up of two kinds of cholesterol. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the “bad” cholesterol because when too much of it circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the “good” cholesterol because it helps remove “bad” cholesterol from arteries and prevent blockage. Triglyceride is a form of fat. It is made in your body and also comes from food. People with high triglycerides often have high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol and a low HDL cholesterol level.

4. High cholesterol has no symptoms, so the only way to know your cholesterol levels is by having them checked.

5. First and foremost you should check your lifestyle habits. Are you a smoker? Do you eat too much saturated fat, trans fat or cholesterol? Are you physically inactive? All of these modifiable factors can affect your cholesterol levels. Before starting you on medication, your physician will probably address your diet and exercise and smoking habits. Then, if heart-healthy eating, at least 30 minutes of moderately vigorous physical activity on five or more days of the week and quitting smoking don’t lower your cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medication. Even if you’re taking medication, it’s important to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle.

6. High cholesterol levels put you at risk for atherosclerosis (fatty buildups of plaque in artery walls). These deposits can contribute to blocking the blood flow to a part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. A high LDL level (more than 160 mg/dL or 130 mg/dL or above if you have two or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease) indicates an increased risk of heart disease. Atherosclerosis in arteries in or leading to the brain can result in stroke.

7. You can also include diabetes and increasing age. Women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men before the age of menopause, but after menopause, women’s LDL levels tend to rise. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke amplify one another rather than just adding up. The more risk factors you have, the higher your risk for heart disease and stroke.

8. Bran muffins and all baked goods may hold a “hidden” source of a cholesterol-raising fat. The nutrition label may list the cholesterol content as none or low, but look for hydrogenated fats and oils in the ingredients list. These are known as trans fats. Along with saturated fats, they're the main dietary causes of high blood cholesterol. The amount of trans fat in food is listed on the Nutrition Facts panel. Learning to read and interpret food labels is important in limiting your intake of saturated fats.

9. Neither the American Heart Association or the federal government’s National Cholesterol Education Program recommends postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT, formerly called hormone replacement therapy or HRT) as an alternative to cholesterol-lowering drugs for women at risk for elevated cholesterol levels. PHT is not for every woman. To reduce the risk of a first heart attack or stroke, the American Heart Association recommends reducing risk factors such as high cholesterol and blood pressure with lifestyle changes and, if needed, taking medications.

10. you need to have your cholesterol checked by your healthcare provider, learn all of your numbers and change your lifestyle if the numbers are borderline-high or high. If lifestyle changes alone don’t lower your cholesterol level, talk to your healthcare provider about medication. And if you’re on medication now, remember that you still need to live a heart-healthy lifestyle and take your medication exactly as your doctor has prescribed.

Source : American Heart Association