What You Need to Know About Your Heart Health This National Cholesterol Month
Do You Know Your Lipid Levels? What You Need to Know About Your Heart Health This National Cholesterol Month
Authored by: Dr Matthew Lee; BMSc, MBBS, MSc
Last reviewed: Oct 2024.
What's in this PocDoc Article:
- When was the last time you had your cholesterol checked?
- What is cholesterol?
- If the body produces cholesterol, how can it be bad?
- Can I live with high cholesterol?
- How to beat the odds against high cholesterol
- Regular cholesterol screenings can save your life
When was the last time you had your cholesterol checked?
If you’re having difficulty answering that question, now’s a good time to get your levels checked; after all, October is National Cholesterol Month.
Often considered by experts to be a silent epidemic, high cholesterol causes 1 in 5 heart-related deaths in the UK, according to the British Heart Foundation. It is also estimated almost half of the UK’s population is living with cholesterol levels higher than the NHS’s recommended level.
This makes high cholesterol a growing concern in the nation. But what really is high cholesterol?
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fatty substance produced by your liver but can also enter the body through certain foods. Cholesterol is essential to maintain healthy cells and is vital in hormone production. However, too much or too little of certain types of cholesterol can negatively impact your body and put you at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
If the body produces cholesterol, how can it be bad?
Cholesterol becomes an issue when there is too much or too little in the body for it to be appropriately used. When your cholesterol levels are consistently outside the recommended range, you have what is called dyslipidemia
– which, in simple terms, refers to abnormal levels of lipids in the bloodstream.
The recommended ranges for cholesterol, as outlined by the NHS, are:
- A Healthy Level is 5.0mmol/L or below
HDL Cholesterol ("Good" Cholesterol):
- A Healthy Level is 1.0mmol/L or above for men
- A Healthy Level is 1.2mmol/L or above for women
Non-HDL Cholesterol ("Bad" Cholesterol):
- A Healthy Level is 4.0mmol/L or below
- A Healthy Level is a ratio of 6 or below
- Heart UK experts state that non-fasting levels should is below 2.3mmol/L
Can I live with high cholesterol?
Living with undetected and untreated high cholesterol puts you at a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke. According to the British Heart Foundation, every 5 minutes, someone is admitted to the hospital due to a heart attack, with studies showing that only 7 out of 10 individuals will survive.
Early detection of high cholesterol, paired with medical intervention or lifestyle and dietary changes, is crucial to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving one's quality of life overall.
How to beat the odds against high cholesterol
A study done by the NHS reported that 72% of individuals between the ages of 45 and 64 have high cholesterol levels. The NHS also reports that more than 2 in 5 persons in the UK have high cholesterol with an increased risk of heart disease.
Besides genetic factors, high cholesterol can be easily prevented and sometimes treated through lifestyle and dietary changes.
1. Physical Activity:
Exercise can help to reduce LDL (‘bad cholesterol’) and increase HDL (‘good cholesterol’) and prevent obesity which increases your risk of CVD. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, and strength exercises on 2 or more days a week.
2. Balanced Diet:
Foods high in saturated fats, such as processed food and fatty meats, can raise LDL levels in the body, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Foods low in unsaturated fats were shown to help increase HDL levels in the body. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help to reduce cholesterol levels in the body and prevent CVD.
3. No smoking and drinking:
According to Heart UK, smoking causes LDL cholesterol to become stickier leading to blocked arteries. Drinking alcohol increases the triglyceride levels in the body which increases cholesterol in the blood. Reducing smoking and drinking will help to prevent CVD. It is recommended that adults drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more.
4. Medications:
If your cholesterol cannot be effectively managed through lifestyle and dietary modifications, your healthcare provider will opt for treatments involving lipid-lowering medications that help lower cholesterol levels outside the recommended ranges.
However, these measures can only be taken effectively if you know your cholesterol levels through regular screenings.
Regular cholesterol screenings can save your life
Though healthy lifestyle choices are crucial in CVD prevention, knowing your cholesterol levels forms the basis of proper and effective treatment. International Health Bodies such as the: The American Heart Association recommends that all adults 20 or older have their cholesterol and other traditional risk factors checked every four to six years as long as their risk remains low.
The PocDoc Healthy Heart Check can help you check your cholesterol levels quickly and effectively.
From the comfort of your home, you can:
- Get your full cholesterol profile
- Get your healthy heart age
- Get your 10-year risk of a heart attack or stroke
The PocDoc Healthy Heart Check uses NHS guidelines to produce clinically accurate results, which are further compared to NHS recommended levels.
So, this National Cholesterol Month, take control of your heart health. Don’t let high cholesterol sneak up on you.Know your levels through regular cholesterol testing and help us reduce the rates of cardiovascular disease across the UK.
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