Cholesterol in the Blood

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States and high levels of cholesterol in the blood is one of the major risk factors related to the disease. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many women are unaware that their cholesterol levels are too high.

When there is too much cholesterol in the blood, it builds up in the walls of the arteries. Over time, this buildup causes the arteries to become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.

Ultimately, the best medicine is prevention and early detection. At Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, patients have access to the expertise of the Heart Center for Women along with the world’s premier hypertension clinic and a state-of-the art Preventive Cardiology Center.

Facts about cholesterol:

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can be found in all parts of your body. It aids in the production of cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D. The cholesterol in your blood comes from two sources: the foods you eat and your liver. However, your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs.

Since, blood is watery and cholesterol is fatty, just like oil and water, the two do not mix. So, in order to travel in the bloodstream, cholesterol is carried in small packages called lipoproteins. The small packages are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and proteins on the outside. Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout your body. It is important to have healthy levels of both:

LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is sometimes called "bad" cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol leads to a buildup of cholesterol in arteries. The higher the LDL level in your blood, the greater chance you have for getting heart disease.

HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is sometimes called "good" cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. The liver removes the cholesterol from your body. The higher your HDL cholesterol levels, the lower your chance of getting heart disease.

Remember that you want your LDL to be low and your HDL to be high.

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are another class of fat found in the bloodstream. The bulk of your body''s fat tissue is in the form of triglycerides.

Triglyceride levels and heart disease:

The link between triglycerides and heart disease is under clinical investigation. However, many people with high triglycerides also have other risk factors such as high LDL levels or low HDL levels.

What causes elevated triglyceride levels?

Elevated triglyceride levels may be caused by medical conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, or liver disease. Dietary causes of elevated triglyceride levels may include obesity and high intakes of fat, alcohol, and concentrated sweets.

A healthy triglyceride level is less than 150 mg/dL.

Checking your blood cholesterol level:

A cholesterol screening is an overall look at, or profile of, the fats in your blood. Screenings help identify people at risk of heart disease. It is important to have what is called a full lipid profile to show the actual levels of each type of fat in your blood: LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and others. Consult your physician regarding the timeliness of this test.

What is a healthy blood cholesterol level?

High blood cholesterol is a significant risk factor in heart disease. Lowering blood cholesterol through increased physical activity, weight loss, smoking cessation, and proper diet lowers that risk. However, blood cholesterol is very specific to each individual and, for that reason, a full lipid profile is an important part of your medical history and important information for your physician to have. In general, healthy levels are as follows:

Knowing Your Numbers

Since there are usually no signs or symptoms of high blood cholesterol, everyone age 20 and older should have her cholesterol measured at least once every five years. It is best to have a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile" to find out your cholesterol numbers. This blood test is done after a 9- to 12-hour fast and gives information about your:

• Total cholesterol
• LDL (bad) cholesterol – the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries
• HDL (good) cholesterol – helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries
• Triglycerides – another form of fat in your blood, and also the form which fat is stored in body tissue—triglycerides make up about 95 percent of the fatty tissue in the body.

If it is not possible to get a lipoprotein profile done, knowing your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your cholesterol levels. If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL* or more or if your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipoprotein profile done.

See how your cholesterol numbers compare to the tables below.

Total Cholesterol
Less than 200 mg/dL	Desirable
200 to 239 mg/dL	Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above	High
LDL Cholesterol
Less than 100 mg/dL	Optimal
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
HDL Cholesterol*
60 mg/dL and above	Desirable (the higher, the better)
40 to 59 mg/dL	Borderline risk
Less than 40 mg/dL	Higher risk
Triglycerides
Less than 149 mg/dL	Desirable
150 to 199 mg/dL	Borderline high risk
200 to 499 mg/dL	High risk
500 mg/dL and above	Extremely high risk

* HDL ("good") cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and is considered a major risk factor because it increases your risk for developing heart disease.

Triglycerides can also raise heart disease risk. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.

Making Changes: What Affects Cholesterol Levels?

These are things you can control:

• Diet – Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat make your blood cholesterol level go up. Saturated fat is the main culprit, but cholesterol in foods also matters. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level. Foods that come from animals, such as meats and dairy products can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol. There is no cholesterol and very little fat in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains.
• Weight – Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise your HDL and lower your triglyceride levels.
• Physical Activity – Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.

Things beyond your control that can affect cholesterol levels.

• Age and gender – As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Before the age of menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After the age of menopause, women’s LDL levels tend to rise.
• Heredity – Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families.

Statistics about cholesterol:

Elevated cholesterol is a risk for many Americans. Consider these statistics:

• Approximately 100,870,000 Americans have total cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL and higher, which is considered borderline high risk.

• About 40,600,000 American adults have blood cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL and higher, which is considered high risk.

Click here to view the
Online Resources page of this Web.