The 5 Best Ways to Control High Cholesterol, According to People With the Condition

There are a variety of factors that influence cardiovascular risk—but cholesterol is one of the first things that doctors pay attention to. Having high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is “definitely a variable we try to manage, because it’s been shown to be problematic for heart health,” says Dr. Adriana Quinones-Camacho, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. Though it’s often called the “bad” kind of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol makes up most of your body’s cholesterol stores. That means it’s not a villain on its own, but when levels start creeping up, excess LDL can contribute to plaque formation in your arteries. Known as atherosclerosis, this condition increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that about 93 million American adults have high cholesterol, which represents about 36% of the U.S. adult population. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] [video id=kg6pQctW autostart="viewable"] High cholesterol is sometimes treated with medications like statins, depending on factors such as age and family history, but lifestyle changes tend to be the first treatment, Quinones-Camacho says. That’s especially true if someone is younger than 45 and has fewer risk factors overall. Taking steps to keep cholesterol in check is crucial not just for heart function, but for overall health. Here, six people who have been diagnosed with high c...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate heart health Source Type: news