StrokeSense : You Can Help Yourself

Cholesterol Management

One in four Americans has high blood cholesterol (240 mg/dL or higher), which is a major risk factor for stroke. People with high cholesterol are more than twice as likely to have a stroke as those with normal cholesterol levels.

Although excess weight tends to increase your blood cholesterol levels, heredity and diet also play major roles. High cholesterol can run in families, and people can raise their blood cholesterol levels by eating too much food that's high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Understanding HDL/LDL

Your body needs cholesterol to function well. But because the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, the extra fat and cholesterol that you get in your diet is deposited in the walls of arteries that carry blood to the heart. These fatty deposits cause atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries"), a major risk factor for stroke.

When you get the results of your cholesterol test, it will include an overall total, as well as your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Your level of LDL, also known as "bad" cholesterol, should be below 130 mg/dL. Readings of 130 to 159 mg/dL are borderline, and levels of 160 mg/dL or more are high. The higher your LDL level, the greater your risk for stroke.

In contrast, as your HDL level decreases, your stroke risk increases. High levels of HDL (60 mg/dL or higher), also known as "good" cholesterol because it removes cholesterol from the blood, protect the cardiovascular system. An HDL level under 35 mg/dL increases your risk for stroke.

You Can Lower Your Cholesterol

You can reduce high cholesterol and, in turn, slow, stop, or even reverse the buildup of plaque in your arteries. Unchecked, these deposits can cause atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries"), a major cause of stroke. Follow these tips from the National Cholesterol Education Program:

• Exercise. Thirty to 40 minutes of physical activity at least four times per week help to raise your HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and lower your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), as well as improve the overall health of your heart and lungs.
• Lose extra weight. Overweight people tend to have high cholesterol. See your doctor about starting a weight-management plan to lower your cholesterol and improve your health.
• Limit your alcohol intake. Drinking several alcoholic drinks per day increases LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). Limit the drinks to one per day.
• Follow the Step I or Step II Diet. These heart-healthy diets emphasize foods that are low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol and high in whole grains and fiber.

If your blood cholesterol is still too high even after following these guidelines for a year, you may need to take medication to lower it. Talk to your physician about medication options.

Reference

"High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know," NHLBI, May 2001.

Source of Material: RockHill Communications, 14 Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004, (610) 667-2040,
Writer: Christine Norris
Editors: Erin Murphy, Andrea King, Joanne Poeggel, Ron Wozny
Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, M.D.
Date Written: 4/30/01
Last Revised: 4/3/03