Cholesterol Symptoms & Causes

For Your Heart's Sake, Lower Your Cholesterol

There's a lot of news about cholesterol these days, and with good reason. High cholesterol contributes to heart disease, which kills more Americans than all cancers combined.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance that your body – mainly the liver – produces. Cholesterol is used to make some hormones, vitamin D and bile acids, which help to digest fat. Cholesterol also is used to build healthy cell membranes (walls) in the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, liver, intestines and heart. It only takes a small amount of cholesterol to meet all these needs. Your body makes enough; you don’t have to get cholesterol in your diet.

Understanding the Lipid Profile Test

A lipid profile is a lab test that measures the amount of certain fats and cholesterol in your blood. High lipid levels can lead to a heart attack or cause your heart disease to worsen. You should have a lipid profile at least once a year.

The LDL (“bad”) cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dl, and triglycerides (also “bad”) should be less than 150 mg/dl. The HDL (“good”) cholesterol should be greater than 40 mg/dl.

If you have diabetes and diagnosed cardiac disease or progressive coronary artery disease, your provider may choose a lower LDL goal—less than 70 mg/dl.