High LDL cholesterol promotes artery-plaque formation that raises the risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Lifestyle changes and lipid-lowering treatments reduce that risk.
High blood cholesterol increases cardiovascular risk but is often manageable. Combine a Mediterranean-style diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and evidence-based medicines like statins when needed. Regular screening and individualized care reduce heart attack and stroke risk.
Choose lean, skinless poultry, seafood, and plant proteins; reduce saturated fat and control portions to support lower LDL cholesterol. Gradual swaps - fish, legumes, tofu - make the shift sustainable.
Elevated cholesterol has become more common due to diet, inactivity, stress, age, and genetics. Lifestyle changes are the foundation of prevention, but clinicians often add medications - most commonly statins - when overall cardiovascular risk remains high. Understand drug types, interactions, and how to work with your clinician.
Limit foods high in saturated and trans fats - like fried items, processed meats, and full-fat dairy - and choose fiber-rich, plant-forward options to help lower LDL cholesterol. Work with your clinician for personalized advice.
High cholesterol - especially elevated LDL - drives atherosclerosis and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. It's often silent but manageable with diet, exercise, medications (statins and newer agents), and, when needed, procedures such as stents or bypass surgery.
Policosanol is a sugarcane-derived supplement studied for cholesterol lowering. Evidence is mixed: some trials report modest LDL reductions, but larger independent studies are inconsistent. Consult your clinician before use.
High cholesterol usually has no symptoms. Get a baseline lipid panel in early adulthood, manage risk factors with lifestyle changes, and use medications like statins when needed to lower heart attack and stroke risk.
A concise guide to the four lipid panel values - total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides - current target ranges, and how clinicians use these numbers to manage heart-disease risk.
A lipid profile is a set of blood tests (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, and non-HDL) used to assess cardiovascular risk and guide lifestyle or medication decisions. Interpretation depends on overall ASCVD risk and current guideline-based targets.
Dietary patterns - especially Mediterranean-style eating, more soluble fiber and plant sterols, and replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats - can lower LDL cholesterol, but average reductions are modest and individual responses vary.
Policosanol is a sugar-cane-derived supplement marketed for cholesterol support. Early Cuban trials were promising, but later independent studies showed inconsistent results. It may be well tolerated short-term, but it is not a proven substitute for prescription lipid-lowering therapy.
Beta-sitosterol is a common plant sterol that can reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption and has modest supporting evidence for improving BPH symptoms. It is generally safe but should be discussed with a clinician before use.