High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Find out how to tell if you have high cholesterol.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 94 million adults in the U.S. have high cholesterol. “Cholesterol is one of the key risk factors for the development of heart disease, vascular disease, and stroke,” says Dr. Nikhil Kapoor, MD, FACC, FSCAI, a cardiologist with Dignity Health St. Mary Medical Center, Director of STEMI program, Director of Endovascular Peripheral Interventions, Associate Clinical Professor UCLA School of Medicine. “Knowing about it, diagnosing it early, and treating it optimally are key to staying healthy. Fortunately, diagnosing high cholesterol can be done with a simple blood test.”
High Cholesterol Symptoms
While millions of Americans have high cholesterol, fewer than half get treatment because they don’t know they have it. “I think one of the biggest misconceptions regarding cholesterol and heart disease, in general, is that there are always tangible, ‘classic’ signs for everyone,” says Dr. Sanjeev Aggarwal, cardiovascular surgeon and Medical Advisor at Hello Heart. “Many times this isn’t the case, and risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension and high cholesterol do their damage silently.”
In other words, you can’t tell if you have high cholesterol just by looking for symptoms; instead, you have to get your cholesterol checked through a blood test. “The test measures LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels in your blood. A score of 240mg/dL or higher is considered high cholesterol,” says Dr. Tomi Mitchell, a Board-Certified Family Physician with Holistic Wellness Strategies.
Even though high cholesterol doesn’t typically present any symptoms, there are risk factors that increase your risk of developing the condition. These factors include diabetes, being overweight, and smoking. “If you have any of these risk factors, it is essential to get your cholesterol checked by a doctor,” says Mitchell. “High cholesterol can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke if left untreated. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the warning signs and to get checked by a doctor if you are at risk.”
Lowering Your Cholesterol
“Making small changes and forming healthier habits may help reduce cholesterol and subsequent risk for heart disease,” says Aggarwal. “Regular exercise, eating heart-healthy foods, and limiting alcohol are simple yet effective ways to keep cholesterol in check.”
In addition to making healthy changes to your diet and workout routine, you can give your health an extra boost by taking supplements like HeartBeet Complete. Its ingredients promote healthy Blood Pressure, enhanced cholesterol support, improved energy and stamina, circulation, and more. Give your cholesterol health the support it deserves by making healthy lifestyle changes and taking HeartBeet Complete.
