High LDL cholesterol levels increase heart attack risk.
Physicians use cholesterol screening tests to evaluate a patient's risk of developing coronary artery disease. One value of particular interest is the low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol level. Unlike HDL, or "good" cholesterol, high amounts of LDL cholesterol increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis results when cholesterol and other substances collect on the walls of arteries. Eventually, the deposits harden and form plaque, which narrows the arteries and prevents necessary blood flow to organs such as the heart and brain. The type of cholesterol that accumulates on artery walls and causes atherosclerosis is LDL cholesterol.
LDL Levels
According to the American Heart Association, as LDL cholesterol levels increase, so does your risk of coronary artery disease. They consider any LDL cholesterol level less than 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood an optimal value. The Cleveland Clinic, ranked by "U.S. News and World Reports" as the best cardiac hospital in the country, recommends LDL cholesterol levels of less than 70 milligrams per deciliter for patients with existing coronary artery disease or other high risk factors.
Lowering LDL Levels
Eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly and avoiding tobacco smoke reduces cholesterol. When lifestyle changes fail to adequately reduce LDL cholesterol, medications are prescribed and typically include one of a group of drugs called statins. Statin drugs enable patients to achieve the exceptionally low LDL cholesterol levels now being recommended for patients at high risk of heart disease.
Tags: artery disease, cholesterol levels, coronary artery, coronary artery disease, cholesterol level, cholesterol levels increase, heart attack
