by Anne Penny

Created on: April 02, 2009

SYMPTOMS

The problem is there aren't really any symptoms! As there are no symptoms, you could have dangerous levels of cholesterol in your blood and be blissfully unaware of it. The only way to ascertain your cholesterol level is to have a blood test, and many people are surprised to be told that theirs is high when they have a routine medical check.

We all have cholesterol in our blood; the body manufactures what it needs. Too high a level may be due to genetic factors and/or the cholesterol and saturated fats that you eat. Certain drugs are also known to elevate cholesterol levels in the blood. Unfortunately, a high level of cholesterol is a major risk factor contributing to coronary heart disease, which is one of the great killers of modern man.

Cholesterol is a naturally occurring soft, waxy substance, vital to the body's normal functioning. It is needed to make certain hormones, vitamin D and the acids for fat digestion. Only a small amount is required and any excess gets deposited into the arteries, clogging them. If the coronary arteries that supply the heart become narrowed by these deposits, then the heart becomes diseased and weakened and a heart attack, or angina, may result.

Certain aspects of lifestyle place you at high risk and if you smoke, have a family history of high cholesterol, eat a high fat diet and are sedentary you are living dangerously. Certain of the drugs that can have an adverse effect on the cholesterol are ones that are commonly prescribed. For example, some of the beta blockers used to treat high blood pressure are known to affect cholesterol levels, as are certain of the diuretics used for a similar purpose. Estrogen, a female sex hormone, is used in oral contraception and in the hormone replacement therapy often given to post menopausal women; this is also a drug that may raise the blood cholesterol. Other drugs may also have the effect of raising cholesterol levels to higher than ideal, so any prescription for new medication should be discussed with your doctor.

TREATMENT

If you are diagnosed with a too-high cholesterol level you should follow the advice of your doctor which would undoubtedly be to control your weight and your diet, and to increase physical activity. Being overweight usually brings an increase in cholesterol so simply by losing excess weight you can favorably influence your cholesterol level. You should adjust your diet to reduce the intake of saturated fats and cholesterol-rich foods such as egg yolks, full-fat

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