Know your risk of high cholesterol

The article was written by MSc Bui Minh Duc - Head of General Internal Medicine Unit, Department of General Internal Medicine - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

Certain health conditions, lifestyle, and your family history can increase your risk of developing high cholesterol. These are called risk factors. You cannot control some of these risk factors, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk of high cholesterol by changing the factors you can control.

1. Health conditions that increase your risk of high cholesterol

Type 2 diabetes lowers high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL or good cholesterol) levels and increases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or bad cholesterol). 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. Discuss with your doctor a plan to lose weight to a healthy level. Other health conditions. Other health conditions, like familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), can cause very high levels of LDL cholesterol.

2. Your lifestyle choices can increase your risk of high cholesterol

Eating a diet high in saturated and trans fats can contribute to high cholesterol and related conditions, such as heart disease. Not getting enough physical activity can make you gain weight, leading to increased cholesterol. Smoking damages your blood vessels, making them more likely to accumulate fatty deposits. Smoking can also lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good) cholesterol levels. If you don't smoke, don't smoke. If you smoke, learn more about tobacco use and ways to quit. The good news is that a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of high cholesterol.

béo phì mang thai — Người ít vận động thể chất và tăng cân làm tăng nguy cơ mắc bệnh cholesterol cao

3. Family history of high cholesterol

Some people have an inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). This condition causes very high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, Bad Cholesterol) that begin at a young age, and, left untreated, continue to worsen with age. FH is relatively rare in the United States. An estimated 1 million adults in the United States have confirmed or possible FH. If someone in your family has early heart disease, tell your doctor about your health and that of other family members at risk for FH to consider whether your family should be tested. Your doctor can talk to you about lifestyle changes you can make to help lower or control cholesterol levels. Often, however, FH can be treated with lifestyle changes alone. You may need medication, like statin therapy or another, to control your cholesterol levels. Family health history is a record of diseases and health conditions in your family. Family health history is a useful tool for understanding health risks and preventing disease.

Family members share genes and often share behaviors, lifestyles and environments that can influence health and risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, and other related conditions. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, you are more likely to have high cholesterol. You may need to have your cholesterol levels checked more often than people with no family history of high cholesterol.
The risk of high cholesterol can be increased even further when a family history of high cholesterol is combined with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as eating an unhealthy diet.

Bị zona có cần phải kiêng ăn hoặc uống gì không? — Chế độ ăn uống không lành mạng góp phần mắc bệnh cholesterol cao

4. Potential dangers that we cannot influence

Age and gender:
Everyone's risk of high cholesterol increases with age. This leads to higher cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Until about age 55 (or until menopause), women tend to have lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol) than men. At any age, men tend to have lower high-density lipoproteins (HDL, or good fats) than women.

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