Lipid disorder - Dr Shashank Jain
About Lipids / Cholesterol
What is a risk factor ?
A risk factor is a condition that increases your chance of getting heart disease or having a heart attack.
How does raised cholesterol levels cause heart attack ?
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When there is too much cholesterol (a fat like substance) in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. |
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Over a time, this build up causes "hardening of the arteries' so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked. |
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The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. |
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If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack. |
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Your blood cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances of getting a heart disease. |
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High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factor for heart disease. |
Why should blood cholesterol level be checked without any symptoms ?
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High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. |
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It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you already have it. |
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Cholesterol lowering is important for everyone-younger, middle age and older adults, women and men; and people with or without heart disease. |
What do your cholesterol numbers mean?
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Every one age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. |
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It is best to have a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile " to find out your cholesterol numbers. This blood test is done after a 9-12 hour fast and gives information about your: |
Total Cholesterol
LDL (Bad cholesterol) The main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in arteries.
HDL (Good cholesterol) helps keep bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries.
Triglycerides-Another form of bad fat in your blood.
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If it is not possible to get a lipoprotein profile done, knowing your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your cholesterol levels. |
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If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or more, or if your HDL cholesterol is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipoprotein profile done. |
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HDL (Good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher the numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is considered a major risk factor because, it increases your risk for developing heart disease. |
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HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or more help to lower your risk for heart disease. |
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Triglycerides can also raise heart disease risk. Levels that are borderline high (150-159 mg/dL) Or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment. |
What is your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack?
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In general, the higher your LDL level and more the risk factors you have (other than LDL), the greater your chances of developing heart disease or having a heart attack. |
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Some people are at high risk for developing heart disease because they have diabetes (which is a strong risk factor) or a combination of risk factors for heart disease. |
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