Cholesterol and other risk factors

As we have discussed in previous articles, high cholesterol can cause serious health problems. But how can you tell if you have high cholesterol? Does it cause any symptoms? What are the risks? Today we will shed some light on these common questions.

What symptoms does cholesterol cause?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions, but high cholesterol usually has no symptoms. There are isolated cases in which patients suffer from xanthelasmas, i.e. yellowish bumps around the eyelids or a greyish opaque ring around the edge of the cornea.

Therefore, to find out if you havehigh cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia), you need to have a blood test to measure your total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglyceride levels, which should be no higher than 200 mg/dL. So, one by one, the optimal levels are:

• “Bad” or LDL cholesterol: below 150 mg per decilitre of blood.
• “Good” or HDL cholesterol: above 70 mg/dL.
• Triglycerides below 150 mg/dL.

When the blood test shows that your cholesterol levels are high you are at risk of suffering from:

• Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems. There is a risk of acute myocardial infarction due to clogged arteries. If this blockage occurs at heart level,angina pectoris or acute myocardial infarction will occur. If this blockage occurs at brain level, a stroke or cerebrovascular accident will occur.
• Decreased blood circulation in the arteries (ischaemia) or blocked arteries in the lower extremities.

It is therefore important to be aware of the factors that affect and increase the likelihood of high cholesterol.

Cholesterol and other risk factors

As a general rule, the different factors that affect the likelihood of suffering from hypercholesterolaemia are as follows:

• Genetics, age and sex. These are factors that cannot be changed.
• Environmental factors. Diet and physical activity, which can be changed, as can whether you smoke.

But there are also other risk factors such as:

• Diabetes. Type I and type II diabetes can raise cholesterol levels. Therefore, in diabetics, the recommended cholesterol levels are below the desired levels for the general population.
• Obesity. People with obesity often have hypertriglyceridaemia, low “good” cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. They should therefore lose weight to lower their triglyceride, insulin and uric acid levels, and to reduce their blood pressure.
• A sedentary lifestyle. This habit is often linked to type II diabetes and obesity, so it further increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. To avoid this and prevent hypercholesterolaemia, physical exercise is necessary, as it also improves lung capacity, boosts the cardiovascular system and lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
• Pregnancy. During this phase, the woman’s blood lipid levels are elevated. Therefore, cholesterol levels should be monitored and extreme care should be taken in patients with a history of hyperlipidaemia.
• Menopause. This is also a risk factor as falling oestrogen levels lower HDL (“good” cholesterol) and raise total cholesterol and LDL (“bad” cholesterol). Oestrogen hormone therapy is therefore recommended to help decrease the usual symptoms of menopause, prevent osteoporosis, raise “good” cholesterol slightly and reduce “bad” and total cholesterol.
• Smoking and alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol and smoking cause hypertriglyceridaemia, so it is advisable to avoid them or reduce their use.