Cholesterol is essential for life, but too much of it can be dangerous. High LDL (low density lipoprotein) levels increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Excess LDL cholesterol accumulates in the vascular walls and leads to atherosclerosis. In healthy people, the LDL cholesterol target value should be below 115 mg/dl. 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 70mg/dl should be aimed for. Lifestyle changes can often bring slightly elevated cholesterol levels back to normal. 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 medications inhibits the body's own cholesterol production in the liver, which reduces the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood. The optimal value for you can be determined by your treating doctor. Your treating doctor can decide which treatment is best for you.