Discovery Health :: Cholesterol

May. 13, 2008

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Cholesterol

	Cholesterol Article Index You've probably heard media reports linking high cholesterol with heart disease. Perhaps your doctor has brought up the subject of cholesterol testing with you. Maybe you're worried that you or someone you love is at risk. You should be concerned. Heart and blood vessel disease is the number one killer throughout the world, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States alone, it takes the lives of nearly 1 million people every year, and high cholesterol is an important part of the equation. Doctors call high blood cholesterol hypercholesterolemia. Having high levels of cholesterol in your blood increases your risk for hardening of the arteries, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke. You may have high cholesterol for many years before you develop symptoms of any of these conditions. To lower your cholesterol and reduce the risks to your health, you need to understand what high cholesterol is, how doctors diagnose and treat it, and what steps you can take to help control it. You've come to the right place to get answers to your questions about cholesterol. A Quick Overview What is Happening to Me? When Should I See a Doctor? What Causes High Cholesterol? Am I at Risk for High Cholesterol? What Are the Common Symptoms of High Cholesterol? How Can I Be Sure I Have High Cholesterol? How Is High Cholesterol Treated? How Much Will Treatment Help Me? What Options Do I Have for Treatment, and How Do I Choose? What Kinds of Healthcare Professionals Do I Need? What Do I Need to Know About Medicines That Lower Cholesterol? How Long Will I Need Treatment? How Do I Take Charge of My Health? What's the First Step? What Can I Do About Symptoms? How Do I Make Changes to My Diet? How Do I Increase My Exercise? How Do I Lose Weight? How Do I Quit Smoking? What Records Do I Need to Keep? How Can I Make It Easier to Stick With My Treatment? How Do I Know if I'm Better? A Quick Overview What is Happening to Me When I Have High Cholesterol? What Does High Cholesterol Feel Like? What Are the Dangers of High Cholesterol? Why Does Plaque Matter When I Have High Cholesterol? Can High Cholesterol Lead to a Heart Attack? When Should I See a Doctor About My Cholesterol? Should I Be Tested for High Cholesterol? What Are the Different Types of Cholesterol? What Is LDL, or Bad, Cholesterol? What Is HDL, or Good, Cholesterol? What Does It Mean If I Have High Triglycerides? What Causes High Cholesterol? How Might My Genes Affect My Cholesterol Level? How Might My Age and Gender Affect My Cholesterol Level? How Might My Lifestyle Affect My Cholesterol Level? How Might Certain Diseases or Medicines Affect My Cholesterol Level? Am I at Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does Heredity Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does Age Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Do Eggs Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does Whole Milk Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Do Meats Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Do Snack Foods Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Do Fried Foods Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Do Pastries Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does BMI Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does My Body Type Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does Exercise Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does Smoking Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? How Does Diabetes Affect My Risk for High Cholesterol? What Are the Common Symptoms of High Cholesterol? What Are the Symptoms of Heart Disease? What Are the Symptoms of Heart Attack? What Are the Warning Signs of Stroke? What Are the Symptoms of Peripheral Vascular Disease? How Can I Be Sure I Have High Cholesterol? What Should I Tell My Doctor About My Symptoms of High Cholesterol? Which Risk Factors for High Cholesterol Are Important? What Should I Tell My Doctor About Cholesterol and My Medical History? What Should I Tell My Doctor About Cholesterol and My Family's Medical History? What Is My Doctor Looking For With a Physical Exam? What Cholesterol Tests Might I Need? What Do My Cholesterol Test Results Mean? Recommended Cholesterol Levels for Healthy Individuals Recommended Cholesterol Levels for People at Risk for Heart Disease What Does My Total Cholesterol Level Mean? What Does My LDL Cholesterol Mean? What Does My HDL Cholesterol Level Mean? What Does My Triglyceride Level Mean? How Is High Cholesterol Treated? How Much Will Cholesterol Treatment Help Me? How Will Cholesterol Treatment Affect My Risk for Heart Disease and Stroke? What Options Do I Have for Cholesterol Treatment, and How Do I Choose? What Are My Options for Treating High Triglycerides? How Do My Cholesterol Levels Affect My Treatment? What Other Factors Affect My Choices for Cholesterol Treatment? How Do My Cholesterol Levels and Risk Factors Together Impact My Treatment? How Does Having an LDL 160 or Higher Affect My Treatment? How Does Having an LDL 160 or Higher and a Low Risk of CHD Affect My Treatment? How Does Having an LDL Between 160 and 189 Affect My Treatment? How Does Having an LDL 130 or Higher and Some Risk for Heart Disease Affect My Treatment? How Does Having Coronary Heart Disease Affect My Treatment? How Does Having Diabetes and an LDL of 100 or Higher Affect My Treatment? Are Cholesterol Lowering Dietary Changes for Me? Will Exercise Help Me Lower My Cholesterol? Are Cholesterol Medicines for Me? How Will My Doctor Decide If I Need Cholesterol Medicine? Are There Alternative or Complementary Cholesterol Therapies? What Kinds of Healthcare Professionals Do I Need to Control My Cholesterol? What Do I Need to Know About Medicines That Lower Cholesterol? How Do I Use Medicines That Lower Cholesterol Safely? How Do Medicines That Lower Cholesterol Work? How Soon Will the Cholesterol Medicines Work? Will My Cholesterol Medicine Cause Side Effects? What Is the Specific Type of Cholesterol Medicine I'm Taking? What Do I Need to Know About Bile Acid Resins to Lower Cholesterol? What Do I Need to Know About Nicotinic Acid to Lower Cholesterol? What Do I Need to Know About Statins to Lower Cholesterol? What Do I Need to Know About Fibrates to Lower Cholesterol? How Long Will I Need Cholesterol Treatment? How Long Do I Need to Maintain Diet Changes and Exercise to Control My Cholesterol? How Do I Take Charge of My Cholesterol Health? What's the First Step to Lowering My Cholesterol? What Are the Benefits of Making Intensive Lifestyle Changes to Control My Cholesterol? How Do I Follow a Very-Low-Fat Vegetarian Diet to Control My Cholesterol? How Do I Make Intensive Changes to My Exercise Program to Control My Cholesterol? How Can Emotional Connections Help My Heart? How Do I Make Intensive Changes to Manage Stress? Am I Doing All I Can Do to Lower My Cholesterol? How Can I Make the Changes I Need to Lower My Cholesterol? How Can I Get Motivated to Lower My Cholesterol? How Will My Doctor Help Me to Lower My Cholesterol? What Can I Do About Symptoms of High Cholesterol? How Do I Make Changes to My Diet to Lower My Cholesterol? How Should I Start Making Cholesterol Lowering Diet Changes? How Can I Make Sure My Diet Is Balanced? What Counts as a Serving of Food? How Can I Cut the Fat in My Low Cholesterol Diet? How Can I Cut the Cholesterol in My Diet? What Other Changes Should I Make to Cut the Fat and Cholesterol in My Diet? How Much Fat Can I Have on a Low Cholesterol Diet? How Do I Calculate the Percentage of Calories From Fat? How Many Grams of Fat Can I Eat in a Day? How Much Fat Is in There? Foods High in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol What Types of Fat Can I Eat on a Low Cholesterol Diet? Can I Choose a Low Cholesterol Food by Its Label? How Much Cholesterol Can I Have? Which Foods Contain Cholesterol? How Can I Cook Low Cholesterol Meals? How Can I Eat Lower Cholesterol Foods When I Eat Out? How Do I Increase My Exercise to Lower My Cholesterol? How Can I Overcome Barriers to Exercise? How Can I Get Started on an Exercise Program? What If I Already Have Heart Disease? What Type of Exercise Should I Do to Lower My Cholesterol? How Much Exercise Is Enough? What's the Talk Test? What's My Target Heart Rate? How Can I Exercise Safely? How Can I Make Exercise More Enjoyable? How Do I Stick With My Exercise Program? How Can I Be More Active Each Day? How Do I Lose Weight? How Do I Know Whether I'm Overweight? What Is My Body Mass Index (BMI)? What Does My Waist Measurement Mean? How Can I Lose Weight Safely and Keep It Off? How Can I Get Professional Help to Lose Weight? What Strategies Can I Use to Lose Weight? How Do I Eat and Exercise to Lose Weight? How Can I Stay Motivated to Keep Losing Weight? How Can I Cut Calories Safely? How Many Servings of Food Can I Have and Lose Weight? How Can I Cut the Fat and Cholesterol in My Diet? What Is the DASH Diet? How Does Potassium Affect My Blood Pressure? Good Sources of Potassium How Does Magnesium Affect My Blood Pressure? How Does Calcium Affect My Blood Pressure? What Can I Eat on the DASH Diet? How Much Can I Eat on the DASH Diet? How Can I Keep From Regaining Weight? Examine the Emotional Issues Behind Your Weight and Eating How Do I Quit Smoking? Why Should I Quit Smoking? How Do I Get Ready to Quit Smoking? How Should I Quit Smoking? How Can I Keep From Smoking Again? What Records Do I Need to Keep About My Cholesterol? What Should I Tell My Doctor About What I've Tracked About My Cholesterol? How Can I Make It Easier to Stick With My Cholesterol Treatment? What Strategies Can I Use to Control My Cholesterol? How Can I Get the Support I Need to Control My Cholesterol? How Do I Know if My Cholesterol Is Better?

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