Cholesterol is essential for life, but too much of it can be dangerous. How to control your cholesterol levels and prevent a heart attack.
Are you unsure about your cholesterol levels? Then it's time to see a doctor. Because high cholesterol levels are considered the main risk factor for heart attack. Cholesterol itself is essential for life. The fat-like natural substance is part of the cells and a starting material for the production of various hormones. However, it becomes problematic when too much of this substance circulates in the body, according to a press release from the German Heart Foundation. In particular, high LDL (low density lipoprotein) levels increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases, the statement continues. Excess LDL cholesterol accumulates in the vascular walls and leads to atherosclerosis, which greatly increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
When blood cholesterol rises
A blood test can show whether cholesterol levels are too high. According to the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG), the following factors are responsible for LDL cholesterol rising:
Diet high in saturated and trans fats
Severely overweight
Lack of exercise
Smoke
Illnesses such as diabetes, rheumatism, hypothyroidism or kidney and liver diseases
Taking cortisone preparations or HIV medication
Genetic predisposition
Lowering cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes
In healthy people, the LDL cholesterol target value should be below 115 mg/dl (<3.0 mmol/l). For patients at high risk, such as people with severe high blood pressure, genetically high cholesterol levels or smokers, an LDL cholesterol level of less than 70 mg/dl (<1.8 mmol/l) should be aimed for, according to the German Heart Foundation. The optimal value for you can be determined by your treating doctor.
Lifestyle changes can often bring slightly elevated cholesterol levels back to normal. The following routines are recommended:
Balanced diet with lots of vegetables, whole grain products and high-quality vegetable oils (Mediterranean cuisine)
Avoiding nicotine
Regular exercise (especially endurance sports such as hiking or swimming are considered heart-healthy by the German Heart Foundation)
Use of statins for severely elevated cholesterol levels
If the cholesterol level is significantly elevated or has high values due to heredity, the measures mentioned above usually do not have the desired effect. In these cases, statins are used. This group of drugs inhibits the body's own cholesterol production in the liver, which reduces the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood. “Large scientific studies have proven that statins reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke and that they are safe to take for many decades,” says Prof. Dr. med. Ulrich Laufs, director of the clinic and polyclinic for cardiology at the Leipzig University Hospital, was quoted in a press release from the German Heart Foundation. If therapy with statins does not have the desired effect, other cholesterol-lowering drugs can be tried, it continues. Your treating doctor can decide which treatment is best for you.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.