Lipid disorders; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Hyperlipidemia; Dyslipidemia; Hypercholesterolemia

There are steps everyone can take to improve their cholesterol levels, and help prevent heart disease and a heart attack. Some key lifestyle changes are:

• Eat foods that are naturally low in fat. These include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Use low-fat toppings, sauces, and dressings.
• Look at food labels. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat.
• Exercise regularly
• Lose weight if you are overweight

See also: Cholesterol and lifestyle

Quit smoking. This is the single most important change you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Your doctor may want you to take medicine for your cholesterol if lifestyle changes do not work. This will depend on:

• Your age
• Whether or not you have heart disease or other blood flow problems
• Whether you smoke or are overweight
• Whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes

You are more likely to need medicine to lower your cholesterol:

• If you have heart disease or diabetes, your LDL cholesterol should stay below 100
• If you are at risk for heart disease (even if you do not yet have any heart problems), your LDL cholesterol should be below 130
• Almost everyone else may get health benefits from LDL cholesterol that is lower than 160 to 190

There are several types of drugs to help lower blood cholesterol levels, and they work in different ways. Some are better at lowering LDL cholesterol, some are good at lowering triglycerides, while others help raise HDL cholesterol. Statins are one kind of drug that lower cholesterol.

High cholesterol levels can lead to hardening of the arteries, also called atherosclerosis. This occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the walls of arteries and form hard structures called plaques.

Over time, these plaques can block the arteries and cause heart disease, stroke, and other symptoms or problems throughout the body.

Lifestyle changes and medicines can lower cholesterol levels and prevent these problems in most people.

Disorders that are passed down through families often lead to higher cholesterol levels that are harder to control.

If you have high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease, make appointments as recommended by your doctor.

Images

Cholesterol producers

Coronary artery disease

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Review Date: 05/20/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)