MEDICALLY SPEAKING: Lowering cholesterol often involves lifestyle and medication
You've probably heard of LDL and HDL, the two types of cholesterol present in the blood. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the artery-clogging type, so it's important to limit the amount of LDL in the bloodstream. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), on the other hand, delivers cholesterol to the liver, where it is metabolized and eliminated. This is why more HDL is desirable.
The only way to know if your blood cholesterol levels are problematic is to have your blood tested to determine how much cholesterol is present."Patients should consider starting cholesterol screenings at age 35 for men and age 45 for women," says Kevin Weikart, MD, a specialist in internal medicine who serves on staff at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West. "People who are at high risk for heart disease due to family history, smoking, hypertension, diabetes or obesity may need earlier or additional testing, so it's important to talk to your primary-care physician about the screening schedule that's right for you."
Total cholesterol is ideally less than 200 mg/dL (milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood), and more than 240 mg/dL is considered a high level that will increase cardiovascular risk. Physicians like to see results that show LDL of less than 100 mg/dL and HDL of more than 60 mg/dL.
Eating a diet low in saturated and trans-fats and maintaining a healthy weight will help keep LDL in check, and regular exercise is known to have a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels, lowering LDL and increasing HDL.
"These are simple things you can do that support your health in many ways," Weikart says. "There's simply no downside to eating right and exercising."
A variety of prescription medications are available to help lower LDL, if lifestyle changes alone are not enough. Among the most effective are a group of drugs known as statins, which are very safe for most people.
"Statins slow the production of cholesterol and can help remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream, but people who take them need to continue to control their diet, get regular exercise, drink alcohol in moderation and avoid smoking," Weikart says.
Knowing your cholesterol levels and controlling them is an important preventive health measure that can help ensure you have a long and healthy life. If you haven't had your cholesterol checked recently, ask your primary-care physician about a screening test.
Dr. Anthony Jennings is director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake Saint Louis. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and has achieved fellowship status in the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians.
