High Cholesterol and Heart Disease – What Is The Connection?

What is the link between high cholesterol and heart disease?

Too much cholesterol in your blood causes a fatty build up within your artery walls called plaque. When this plaque accumulates it results in a condition called atherosclerosis.

You may have heard of this condition referred to by its more common name “hardening of the arteries.”

Why is high cholesterol dangerous?

The build up of plaque is of concern because as the walls of the arteries gather more of the fatty materials the artery walls thicken and provide less area for blood to move through.

If this is allowed to continue the artery can become blocked and result in a heart attack.

Click here to view a Free Video presentation on “Lowering Cholesterol Naturally”.

How much cholesterol is too much?

When you go to your doctor he or she will use a blood test to determine if there is a significant elevation of cholesterol and heart disease risk.

The initial blood test will often be a non-fasting cholesterol test and this will give your doctor the level of HDL (high density lipoprotein), commonly referred to as “good cholesterol” and the level of total cholesterol found in your blood.

A fasting cholesterol test will give additional information about your level of LDL (low density lipoprotein), commonly called “bad cholesterol” as well as the level of triglycerides or fat in your blood.

You want your total cholesterol count to be below 200. If your total cholesterol is between 200 and 239, your cholesterol level is borderline and if your level is 240 or above your cholesterol level is high.

How often to check you cholesterol?

Cholesterol heart disease – reducing the risk

Fortunately, there are a number of measures you can take to lower your cholesterol and consequently your risk of heart attack.

1. Limit your cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams a day by lowering your consumption of saturated fats.

2. Exercise for 30 minutes a day at a moderate intensity level.

3. Quit smoking

4. Take a cholesterol-lowering medication prescribed by your doctor.

There is a link between high cholesterol and heart disease but the good news is you can control many of the factors that lead to high levels and cut your risk of a heart attack.

Get to know how to recognize the Heart Problems Symptoms in time.