High Cholesterol Overview
Learn About High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol in your blood can increase your chance of getting heart disease, stroke, and other problems.
Common medical terms for high blood cholesterol are lipid disorder, hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia, with the last being the most precise.
Cholesterol - high; Lipid disorders; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Hyperlipidemia; Dyslipidemia; Hypercholesterolemia
Common conditions include: Familial Hypercholesterolemia
There are many types of cholesterol. The ones talked about most are:
- Total cholesterol -- all the cholesterols combined
- High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol -- often called "good" cholesterol
- Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol -- often called "bad" cholesterol
For many people, abnormal cholesterol levels are partly due to lifestyle choices. This often includes eating a diet that is high in fat. Other lifestyle factors are:
- Being overweight
- Lack of exercise
Some health conditions can also lead to abnormal cholesterol, including:
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Pregnancy and other conditions that increase levels of female hormones
- Underactive thyroid gland
Medicines such as certain birth control pills, diuretics (water pills), beta-blockers, and some medicines used to treat depression may also raise cholesterol levels. Several disorders that are passed down through families lead to abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They include:
- Familial combined hyperlipidemia
- Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia
- Familial hypercholesterolemia
- Familial hypertriglyceridemia
Smoking does not cause higher cholesterol levels, but it can reduce your HDL (good) cholesterol.
Steps you can take to improve your cholesterol levels and to help prevent heart disease and a heart attack include:
- Quit smoking. This is the single biggest change you can make to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Eat foods that are naturally low in fat. These include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
- Use low-fat toppings, sauces, and dressings.
- Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat.
- Exercise regularly.
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
Your provider may want you to take medicine for your cholesterol if lifestyle changes do not work. This will depend on:
- Your age
- Whether or not you have heart disease, diabetes, or other blood vessel problems
- Whether you smoke or are overweight
- Whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes
You are more likely to need medicine to lower your cholesterol:
- If you have heart disease or diabetes
- If you are at high risk for heart disease (even if you do not yet have any heart problems)
- If your LDL cholesterol is 190 mg/dL (4.92 mmol/L) or higher
Almost everyone else may get health benefits from LDL cholesterol that is lower than 160 to 190 mg/dL (4.14 mmol/L to 4.92 mmol/L).
There are several types of drugs to help lower blood cholesterol levels. The drugs work in different ways. Statins are one kind of drug that lowers cholesterol and has been proven to reduce the chance of heart disease. Other drugs are available if your risk is high and statins do not lower your cholesterol levels enough. These include ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors.
Mainehealth
Paul Burns is a Cardiologist in Portland, Maine. Dr. Burns and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of High Cholesterol. His top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Familial Ventricular Tachycardia, Arrhythmias, and Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia. Dr. Burns is currently accepting new patients in some locations.
Mainehealth
Robert Bender is a Cardiologist in Portland, Maine. Dr. Bender and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of High Cholesterol. His top areas of expertise are Coronary Heart Disease, Atherosclerosis, Atrial Fibrillation, Cardiomyopathy, and Pacemaker Implantation. Dr. Bender is currently accepting new patients in some locations.
Mainehealth
Ellen Simon is a Cardiologist and an Emergency Medicine provider in Portland, Maine. Dr. Simon and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of High Cholesterol. Her top areas of expertise are Familial Neurocardiogenic Syncope, Fainting, Atrial Fibrillation, and Arrhythmias. Dr. Simon is currently accepting new patients in some locations.
High cholesterol levels can lead to hardening of the arteries, also called atherosclerosis. This occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the walls of arteries and form hard structures called plaques.
Over time, these plaques can block the arteries and cause heart disease, stroke, and other symptoms or problems throughout the body.
Disorders that are passed down through families often lead to higher cholesterol levels that are harder to control.
Summary: This is a multicenter, non-randomized, non-interventional three-cohort study with prospective collection of primary data of treatment with newly initiated oral Lipid lowering treatment on top of a statin (Oral LLT cohort), newly initiated Inclisiran (Inclisiran cohort) and newly initiated Inclisiran on top of lipid apheresis (Apheresis plus Inclisiran cohort) in routine clinical care. All procedur...
Summary: The goal of the current study is to conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the HeartBeet Clinic, a 16-week lifestyle medicine program with virtual, small-group coaching, to a self-paced, online education program. In this pilot study, the primary goals will be to assess acceptability and feasibility of the study and intervention procedures to prepare for a larger efficacy trial.
Published Date: January 01, 2023
Published By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Internal review and update on 02/19/2024 by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Genest J, Mora S, Libby P. Lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular disease. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 27.
Grundy SM, Stone NJ, Bailey AL, et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: executive summary; a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73(24):3168-3209. PMID: 30423391 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30423391/.
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US Preventive Services Task Force website. Final recommendation statement. Statin use for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults: preventive medication. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/statin-use-in-adults-preventive-medication. Updated August 23, 2022. Accessed February 16, 2024.
US Preventive Services Task Force website. Final recommendation statement. Lipid disorders in children and adolescents: Screening. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lipid-disorders-in-children-screening. Updated July 18, 2023. Accessed February 16, 2024.