Having a raised cholesterol level is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease which can result in heart attacks, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.
Cholesterol is a lipid (a fatty substance) that is important for the body to stay healthy and function well. Cholesterol in your blood can be found in different forms: one of them is the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) which is responsible for transporting cholesterol from its place of production (your liver) to the other parts of the body. The LDL is sometimes known as bad cholesterol.
The other form of cholesterol transfer in the body is with the High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). It is responsible for carrying cholesterol from the blood back to the liver where it is further processed and broken down. This form of cholesterol is sometimes known as the good cholesterol.
The higher the “bad” cholesterol level in the body, the higher a patient’s chances of developing heart disease and stroke.
The level of cholesterol (both the good and bad) in a patient’s bloodstream is measured with a simple blood test. Sometimes a raised cholesterol in the bloodstream can be found alongside other medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure and you should also be checked for these. Some patients with a family history of cardiovascular disease may have a very high level of cholesterol and this is important to treat.
Your cholesterol level will help your doctor assess your risk of developing heart attack and stroke and help them discuss with you the pros and cons of treatment.
You may need other tests such as a CT scan of the heart to help make decisions about whether to treat your cholesterol level or not.
The treatments for high cholesterol are usually directly targeted at reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood. However, for cholesterol to be successfully lowered in the blood, it is helpful for patients to attempt lifestyle changes which may include:
If these lifestyle changes do not successfully reduce your cholesterol level to the target level, you may be offered some medications to lower your cholesterol so that your risk of developing heart disease is reduced.
Treatment is often with statins, but your doctor will discuss the pros and cons of this with you.
A raised cholesterol level is an important risk factor for heart attack and stroke and our Consultant Cardiologists are experts in helping decide whether treatement is required. They are available for consultation on any day of the week and weekends as well.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
020 31372439