September is National Cholesterol Education Month

Know the Facts
You can't see high cholesterol. It doesn't have any symptoms, but it is a major risk factor for heart disease. You can do something about high cholesterol if you understand your risk. So whether you are managing high cholesterol with medications or with diet alone, the more you know, the more you are in control!

What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found normally in the bloodstream and in all your cells. Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body because it’s needed for a number of bodily functions. But too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attack) and for stroke.

Ever heard of “good” and “bad” cholesterol? Confused by what that means?
Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is known as the “bad” cholesterol, and you can remember L “low”, meaning that you want LDL to be as low as possible. Current guidelines state it should be below 100.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is known as the “good” cholesterol, and you can remember H for “high”, meaning that you want HDL to be as high as possible. Current guidelines state that it should be above 60, and actually becomes protective against heart disease when it exceeds this number.

Know your Numbers
An important step in preventing or managing heart disease is to “know your numbers.” Below, you will find guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA).

Total Blood (or Serum) Cholesterol Level
Less than 200mg/dL Desirable
200-239mg/dL Borderline-High Risk
240mg/dL and over High Risk

HDL (Good) and LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Levels
With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease

The AHA considers LDL cholesterol levels of less than 100mg/dL as optimal and says the lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart disease. Many experts believe LDL cholesterol is a better indicator of health risk than total cholesterol.

100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very High

The American Heart Association recommends that all adults age 20 or older should have their cholesterol profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides) checked once every five years.

You may need to have your cholesterol checked more often than every five years if:

• Your total cholesterol is 200mg/dL or more
• You are a man over age 45 or a woman over age 50
• Your HDL(good) cholesterol is less than 40mg/dL
• You have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke

For more information about your cholesterol, talk to your doctor or health care professional. You can also visit the AHA website at www.americanheart.org