Cholesterol Awareness Month

During the month of September, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is sponsoring a National Cholesterol Education Program for the American public. Scientific evidence indicates a need to lower blood cholesterol levels in the general public to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in the United States.

The education program emphasizes the importance of screening, evaluation and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults. The program also focuses on modifying life habits with the aim of reducing coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors. The following information is from a factsheet entitled "Facts About Blood Cholesterol," which has been developed by the NHLBI as part of the National Cholesterol Education Program.

Why Blood Cholesterol Matters

Blood cholesterol plays an important part in deciding a person’s chance or risk of getting coronary heart disease. The higher your blood cholesterol levels, the greater your risk. That’s why high blood cholesterol is called a risk factor for heart disease. Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States? About 1.25 million heart attacks occur each year in the United States.

Even if your blood cholesterol level is close to the desirable range, you can lower it and reduce your risk of getting heart disease. Eating a heart healthy way, being physically active and losing weight if you are overweight are things everyone can do to help lower their levels.

The Blood Cholesterol Heart Disease Connection

When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, the excess builds up on the walls of the arteries that carry blood to the heart. This buildup is called "atherosclerosis" or "hardening of the arteries." It narrows the arteries and can slow down or block blood flow to the heart.

With less blood, the heart gets less oxygen. With not enough oxygen to the heart, there may be chest pain ("angina" or "angina pectoris"), heart attack ("myocardial infarction"), or possible death. Cholesterol buildup is the most common cause of heart disease and it happens so slowly that you are not even aware of it. The higher your blood cholesterol, the greater your chance of this buildup.

Your blood cholesterol level is influenced by many factors. These include what you eat, being overweight, lack of physical activity, heredity, your age and your gender.

All adults age 20 and over should have their blood cholesterol (also called "total" blood cholesterol) checked at least every 5 years. Blood cholesterol levels of under 200 mg/dl are called "desirable" and put you at a lower risk for heart disease.

If an accurate HDL cholesterol measurement is available, HDL, should be checked at the same time. If you do not know your total and HDL levels, ask your doctor to measure them at your next visit.

Total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol measurements require a blood sample. The sample can be taken from your arm or finger. You do not have to fast for this test. Unlike total cholesterol, the lower your HDL, the higher your risk for heart disease. A HDL level less than 35 mg/dl increases your risk of heart disease. The higher your HDL level, the better.

For more information about this exciting interactive web site program, visit the NHLBI’s at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/ Live Healthier - Live Longer. It is filled with easy to read information about blood cholesterol and the effects on heart disease. Take the quiz and check your knowledge level and order additional information. Publications can be ordered by phone, fax or mail. Single copies of "Facts About Blood Cholesterol" are free. Request a copy and a free catalog online or by calling or writing:

NHLBI Information Center
P. O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
Phone: (301) 592-8573
Fax: (301) 592-8563

 

Autumn 2000
Gypsy Moth Alert! | All-America Flower Selections 2001 | Fall-Blooming Perennials Make Your Garden Last Year Round | Tips on How to Avoid Plant Diseases | Bug Bites: Yellowjackets | Cybergarden Sites | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Locally Grown: Making Chutney | Consider Using a Humidifier This Fall | Cholesterol Awareness Month | Health & Household Tips | Did You Know?

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