For Immediate Release

Four Corners Health Department, serving Butler, Polk, Seward, and York Counties

Contact Vicki L. Duey, 402-362-2621 or toll free 877-337-3573

Date:  August 25, 2011

Cholesterol Awareness Month:  Do You Know Your Numbers?

September is designated as Cholesterol Awareness Month.  Having high cholesterol puts you at risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.  People of all ages and all backgrounds can get high cholesterol.  Approximately one out of every six adults in the U.S. has high cholesterol.  Also, more women than men have high cholesterol. 

Let’s start at the beginning...  What is Cholesterol?  Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and in many foods.  Your body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to make it work properly.  But, too much cholesterol is not a good thing and can cause serious damage.  Extra cholesterol can build up in your arteries.  Over time, these cholesterol deposits, called plaque, can narrow your arteries and allow less blood to flow through.  When plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart, a heart attack occurs. 

When it comes to cholesterol there are four numbers that everyone should know.  You must have a fasting blood test done to determine these numbers.  These include your total cholesterol, your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, your HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and your triglyceride numbers.  Let’s look at each of these in more detail.

          Total cholesterol – This is the amount of cholesterol found in your blood at the time your

                                             blood test is taken.  A normal and acceptable number is less than

                                             200 mg/dL.

          LDL (Low-density lipoproteins or “bad” cholesterol) – These make up the majority of the

                                            body’s cholesterol.   Having high levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to          

                                            a build-up in the arteries and result in heart disease.  The optimal level

                                            desired for this test is less than 100 mg/dL.

          HDL (High-density lipoproteins or “good” cholesterol) – These absorb cholesterol from the

                                            blood and carry it back to the liver, which flushes it from the body.  The     

                                            optimal level for HDL is 40 mg/dL or higher.

          Triglycerides -        These are not cholesterol, but are a different type of fat found in the

                                           blood.  High levels can also raise the risk for heart disease.  A normal

                                           number for this test is less than 150 mg/dL. 

Sometimes high cholesterol can run in families.  People who have this inherited genetic condition have very high LDL cholesterol levels beginning at a young age.  Treatment for this condition needs to be discussed with your doctor. 

How can you lower your cholesterol levels?  You can take several steps to accomplish this.  These include: 

• Get a blood test
• Eat a healthy diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Don’t smoke
• Treat high cholesterol

High cholesterol itself doesn’t have any symptoms.  Many people do not know that their cholesterol level is too high and have never had their cholesterol checked.  Your doctor can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol.  If you have high cholesterol your doctor may prescribe medications in addition to lifestyle changes.  Talk with your doctor about how to reduce your risk for heart disease.  The good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent high cholesterol or to reduce your levels if they are high.

For more information regarding cholesterol and heart disease contact Four Corners Health Department at 1-877-337-3573, or locally at 402-362-2621.  You may also send your questions to:  questions@fourcorners.ne.gov.