The Link Between Heart Disease & High Cholesterol

Your doctor may ask you to get your cholesterol checked every year or two, but she may not explain that the test results may directly relate to your heart health. There are different types of heart disease, but in many cases, a contributing cause is a buildup of waxy plaque on the insides of the arteries. What are the waxy artery deposits made of? Among other things, cholesterol.

This doesn’t mean that cholesterol is bad for you. In fact, your liver makes cholesterol, because your body needs it to produce tissue, hormones and other substances which help you thrive. But it’s important to know your cholesterol levels to ensure that they aren’t too high, because excess cholesterol may find its way to the inner linings of your arteries, where it may cause health problems.

What cholesterol does inside your body

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Cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream so that it can reach different areas where it’s needed. Your liver supplies you with enough cholesterol to meet your body’s needs, but if you eat meat, eggs, dairy products or other animal-based food sources, you get extra dietary cholesterol.

Two common types of cholesterol particles which circulate through the bloodstream are known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – which some people refer to as “bad” cholesterol – and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – which some people refer to as “good” cholesterol. The good and bad qualities of these cholesterol particles may affect your heart health.

When you have high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream, plaque can build up on the inner walls of your arteries. The cholesterol combines with fat, calcium and other substances to form the waxy plaque that makes your arteries stiffer and narrower than they should be, which makes it harder for blood to pump through your body efficiently. Over time, this may raise your risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack or stroke.

Having healthy, higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream may have a heart-protective effect: “Good” HDL cholesterol carries some of the “bad” LDL cholesterol that’s in your bloodstream back to your liver, where your body breaks it down and you excrete it out. This may limit the amount of waxy plaque that builds up on the insides of your arteries.

What foods or medications raise cholesterol levels

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Foods that are high in saturated fats – steak, butter, fatty cuts of meat and whole-fat dairy products –tend to be high in cholesterol. Eating too many high-cholesterol foods may raise your cholesterol levels.

Some people have a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease. Even if you eat healthily and exercise often, your cholesterol levels may remain high.

Certain medications may raise cholesterol levels as an unintended side effect.

What tests your doctor may use for heart health

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To stay on top of your heart health, your doctor may offer a heart screening. This is because many seemingly healthy people with coronary artery disease have silent symptoms, which means that there’s no way to know about the diagnosis before someone experiences chest pain or a heart attack.

If your doctor offers a heart screening, she should check your cholesterol levels, your blood-pressure levels, your blood-sugar levels and your C-reactive protein levels. (C-reactive protein levels rise when there’s inflammation in your body, and high levels may suggest an increased risk of heart disease or coronary artery disease.)

After this initial testing, your doctor may offer other tests, if your cholesterol results and other findings suggest that you may be at increased risk of coronary artery disease.

How you can manage your cholesterol levels

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Meeting with your doctor and having your cholesterol levels checked periodically is a good start. This can help you determine whether or not your levels are too high.

If you or your doctor are concerned about your cholesterol levels, there are ways to improve your score.

When your numbers are very high or you have a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease, your doctor may prescribe medication to lower your cholesterol levels. She’ll probably also suggest that you adopt heart-healthy lifestyle changes which may help to raise your “good” HDL cholesterol levels and lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.

For other people, healthy lifestyle changes may be all that you need to positively impact your cholesterol levels. If lifestyle changes alone aren’t effective, your doctor may decide to prescribe cholesterol-lowering medication at a later date.

Lifestyle changes that may lower cholesterol levels

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_Change your diet._ Eat an abundance of plant-based, high-fiber foods; fiber can help to lower your cholesterol levels. Focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Limit your intake of red meat and whole-fat dairy products, which are high in saturated fats and cholesterol; only 5 to 6 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fats, according to the American Heart Association. Instead, eat low-fat dairy products and lean protein, like fish and chicken. It’s also best to avoid foods with trans fat, which may be present in certain baked goods, some fried foods and shortening.

_Get more exercise._ With TV remote-controls, online banking and drive-through pharmacies, it’s easy to get things done without moving. Today, only about 20 percent of American adults get enough physical activity, but meeting the minimum recommended activity levels – 150 minutes per week – can help to lower your cholesterol levels, and it’s good for your heart. Deciding to walk for 30 minutes a day is a simple way to meet your physical activity goals without joining a gym.

_L__ose weight if you’re overweight._ Even modest weight loss – losing 10 percent of your current body weight – may help to lower your cholesterol levels. Changing your diet and getting more exercise may make it easier for you to lose weight. If you need guidance, ask your doctor.

_Quit smoking._ Smoking is unhealthy for your heart, your overall health and your cholesterol levels. When you give up the habit, it improves your HDL “good” cholesterol. Ask your doctor how to quit. If you spend time with a loved one who smokes, limiting your exposure to secondhand smoke may be heart-protective.