Books – Hossam Al-Shaqwiri Sunday, July 02, 2023 06:00 AM
Certain health conditions, your lifestyle, and your family history can increase your risk of developing hypertension cholesterol High cholesterol can run in families. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, you are more likely to have high cholesterol, and you cannot control some of these risk factors, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to reduce your risk of developing high cholesterol by changing the things you can control.
Health conditions that increase your risk of high cholesterol
Type 2 diabetes lowers levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol and raises levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”). This combination increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Obesity is associated with higher levels of triglycerides, higher levels of LDL cholesterol, and lower levels of HDL cholesterol. Obesity can also lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Talk to your healthcare team about a plan to reduce your weight to a healthy level. Learn more about overweight and obesity.
Other health conditions, such as familial hypercholesterolemia, can cause very high levels of LDL cholesterol. Some people have a genetic condition called FH. This condition causes very high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” lipoprotein, starting at an early age, which, if left untreated, continues to worsen with age.
If someone in your family had a heart attack early in life, talk to your health care team about your and other family’s risks of having a heart attack and whether your family should be screened.
Your health care team may talk with you about lifestyle changes you can make to help lower or control your cholesterol levels. Often, though, FH can’t be treated with lifestyle changes alone. You may need medication, such as statin therapy or other medications, to control your cholesterol levels. Learn more about medications that help lower your cholesterol.
Behaviors that increase my risk of high cholesterol
Your behaviors and lifestyle choices can increase your risk of high cholesterol.
A diet high in saturated fat and trans fat may contribute to high cholesterol and related conditions, such as heart disease.
Not getting enough physical activity can lead to weight gain, which can lead to high cholesterol. Learn more about how to get more physical activity into your day.
Smoking damages blood vessels, making it more likely that fatty deposits will collect in them. Smoking may also lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol.
2023-07-02 03:00:00
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