In an interview with SBS Filipino, Dr. Lorie de Leon who specialises in women’s health says high cholesterol is the leading cause of death among women.
“High cholesterol in women is the number one cause of death. High levels of cholesterol can include the risk of developing heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, or stroke."
Highlights
- Research from Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute shows more women have high cholesterol than men and account for more than half of heart disease events.
- Higher blood cholesterol levels can increase the risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.
- While high cholesterol does not have symptoms, the doctor says the only way to monitor one's levels is through a regular blood test.
In fact, a past study from Hopkins medicine.org says approximately 45 percent of women over the age of 20 have elevated cholesterol levels.
While cholesterol is needed by our body to function, too much cholesterol is not a good thing adds Dr. De Leon.
"High cholesterol can affect other organs in our body. The number one cause of high cholesterol is obesity, unhealthy diet, and an inactive lifestyle."
LDL vs HDL
Dr. De Leon says our cholesterol is composed of HDL, the good cholesterol, and LDL, the bad cholesterol.
"Health authorities recommend that cholesterol levels should be no higher than 5.5 mmol per litre if there are no other risk factors present. If there are other cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure or pre-existing cardiovascular disease, then the aim for the LDL levels would be less than 2 mmol/l."
Dr. De Leon says approximately half of all adult Australians have a blood cholesterol level above 5 mmol/l and this makes high blood cholesterol a major health concern in Australia.
Health risk
Higher blood cholesterol levels can increase the risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.
"If you have too much LDL cholesterol in your blood, it can accumulate inside the walls of blood vessels," the doctor adds.
HDL cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from the bloodstream. But if HDL levels are too low, there won’t be enough of it to help remove the buildup of LDL cholesterol from the blood vessels," she continues.
"Over time, the buildup of LDL within your blood vessels can turn into a substance known as plaque. Plaque can narrow and harden your arteries and limit blood flow."
Higher cholesterol levels mean a higher chance of having a heart attack or stroke.
Healthy food clean eating selection: fruit, vegetable, seeds, superfood, cereal, leaf vegetable on gray concrete background Source: Getty Images
Lifestyle tips
While high cholesterol does not have symptoms, Dr. De Leon says the only way to monitor one's levels is through a regular blood test.
"If you are 40 and above, start a regular blood test."
She urges women in the community to make lifestyle changes, live an active life and follow their doctor's advise.
"Some people will only need to improve their lifestyle and diet to get their cholesterol to a safe level. Others may need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines, as well."
