High Cholesterol

High cholesterol

More than half of women over age 55 need to lower their blood cholesterol, and a quarter of all American women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to pose a serious risk for coronary heart disease-a result of atherosclerosis.

Cholesterol begins collecting in the walls of the arteries at an early age. In fact, the earliest type of arterial lesion, the "fatty streak," is present even in young children.

According to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), elevated LDL cholesterol is a major cause of coronary heart disease. That's why the NCEP panel recommends aggressive treatment. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, such as exercising more and reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet, and medication. A combination of approaches is typically recommended.

Other lipid abnormalities, such as elevated triglycerides or low HDL (the good cholesterol), are also associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

Cigarette smoking

Smoking accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, increases blood pressure and restricts the amount of oxygen the blood supplies to the body. Quitting smoking dramatically and immediately lowers the risk of a heart attack and also reduces the risk of a second heart attack in people who have already had one.

Diabetes

Having diabetes poses as great a risk for having a heart attack in 10 years as heart disease itself, according to NHLBI. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related deaths. People with diabetes who have not yet had a heart attack have the same risk of future heart attack as someone with known coronary heart disease. Because their risk of heart attack is so high, NHLBI recommends that people with diabetes be treated aggressively with LDL cholesterol lowering medication and carefully manage their blood sugar to reduce their cardiovascular risk.