2. What is Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance located in fats which are commonly referred to as “lipids’within
the blood. The body requires lipids because they help build healthy cells but to much cholesterol
puts a person at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States.
Heart disease can also cause disabilities and lead to an heart attack. The heart is a major organ that
is essential for life and for that reason it should be kept healthy. High cholesterol causes fat to
move into blood vessels. If the blockage gets out of control it will be difficult for blood to flow
through the arties. As a result, the heart will be deprived of sufficient amounts of rich
oxygenated blood increasing a persons chance of an heart attack. To help control your cholesterol you
will placed on statins to lower your cholesterol.
3. Symptoms
There are no symptoms of high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a silent condition which is
detectable only with a blood test. At the age of
twenty a person should ask his or her
physician to test their blood for high
cholesterol levels. After the age of twenty a
cholesterol test should be conducted every
five years. A physician will conduct test more
frequently if cholesterol runs in the family.
4. Risk Factors
• Smoking increases a person chance of
high cholesterol. Smoking effects the
walls of blood vessels as a result fat builds
up in arteries.
• Obesity increases a person’s chance of
having high cholesterol. A body mass of
thirty or greater puts the obese person at
risk.
• A poor diet will increase a persons chance
of high cholesterol. For example, eating
foods high in unsaturated fat is very
unhealthy and increases the chance of
having high cholesterol.
• Lack of exercise and high blood pressure
also increases a person’s chance of high
cholesterol.
5. Testing for High Cholesterol
• A blood test is used to detect high levels of
cholesterol in the blood. The lipid panel or
the lipid profile is the name of the blood test
performed to detect cholesterol levels. The
blood test reveals total cholesterol, LDL
cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and the type of
fats in the blood.
6. Treatment
• Statins are prescribed to help lower cholesterol.
The drug helps the liver remove cholesterol from
the blood.
• Bile acid binding resins is a drug prescribed that
lowers cholesterol by helping the liver turn
excess cholesterol into acids .
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors are drugs
prescribed to lower cholesterol by limiting the
portion of dietary cholesterol.
• Combination cholesterol absorption inhibitor and
statin are prescribed to decrease the absorption
of cholesterol in both the small intestines and
liver.
• Fibrates, Niacin, and omega 3 fatty acid
supplements, are medications prescribed
for high triglycerides.
7. Lifestyle Changes
• You can loose weight if you have a
unhealthy body mass. Loosing weight will
help lower your cholesterol.
• You can eat healthier foods. Eating
healthier foods will lower your
cholesterol. Eliminate trans fat, limit your
daily cholesterol intake, eat whole grain
foods, eat plenty of fresh fruits and
vegetables, eat heart healthy fish, and limit
your level of alcohol intake.
• Also exercise daily and please do not
smoke.
9. Helpful Websites
The websites which I will provide you with are to help you better understand your disease. Also,
the websites will offer healthy eating tip.
www.cdc.gov/cholesterol
www.lower-cholesterol-guide.info/.../low-cholesterol-foods-list.html
www.nhs.uk/conditions/cholesterol
10. Reference Slide
Medicine Plus. (n.d) Heart disease. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medicineplus/
heartdiseases.html
Mayo staff clinic. (1998). High cholesterol. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/
high-blood-cholesterol/DS00178
Everyday health. (2011). Cholesterol. Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-
disease/cholesterol/index.aspx
