High cholesterol guide

Have you had your cholesterol levels checked lately? High cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Cardiovascular disease kills more men and women each year than any other illness.

High blood cholesterol has no warning signs. People diagnosed with high cholesterol often feel fine and therefore may not take their condition seriously.

Have your cholesterol levels checked regularly. If your level is high, there are a lot of steps you can take to lower it.

I. Let's Get Started

Step 1: The dangers of high cholesterol

Step 2: Types of cholesterol

Step 3: What causes high cholesterol?

II. Diagnosing High Cholesterol

Step 4: Symptoms of high cholesterol

Step 5: Cholesterol screening and testing

III. Managing Your Cholesterol Level

Step 6: Maintain healthy habits

Step 7: Cholesterol-lowering drugs

Step 8: You and your doctor are a team

Learn More Butter, margarine, and cooking oils: What should you use? Children can have high cholesterol, too! Drug treatments: Bile acid resins Drug treatments: Cholesterol absorption inhibitors Drug treatments: Fibrates Drug treatments: Nicotinic acid Drug treatments: Statins Drug treatments: Using more than one drug High cholesterol and memory loss

Helpful Handouts Questions to ask your doctor

AHA/AAP Policy Statement. Dietary recommendations for children and adolescents: a guide for practitioners. Pediatrics. 2006 Feb;117(2):544-559.

Ansell BJ and Walters DD. Reassessment of national cholesterol education program adult treatment panel III guidelines: one year later. American Journal of Cardiology. 2002 Feb;90:524-525.

Eaton CB. Hyperlipidemia. Prim Care Clin Office Pract. 2005;32:1027-1055.

Grundy SM, et al. Implications of recent clinical trials for the national cholesterol education program adult treatment panel III guidelines. Circulation. 2004 July;110:227-239.

Haines CA, et al. Assessment and management of lipid disorders in men. Prim Care Office Pract. 2006;33:93-114.

Krauss RM and Siri PW. Metabolic abnormalities: triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am. 2003;33:405-415.

Rosenson RS. Evidence-based clinical practice: lowering LDL cholesterol reduces risk of ischemic heart disease events. Evidence-based Healthcare: A Scientific Approach to Health Policy. 2004 March;8(1).

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult Panel III). 2001.

Vega GL. Management of atherogenic dyslipidemia of the metabolic syndrome: evolving rationale for combined drug therapy. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am. 2004;33:525-544.

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