ANSWERS Lifestyle + Risk Reduction
by heart Cholesterol
How Do My
Cholesterol Levels
Affect My Risk of
Heart Attack and
Stroke?
High cholesterol can increase your risk of
heart attack and stroke. If you’re 20 or older,
you should have your traditional risk factors
(including cholesterol) checked every four
to six years. If certain factors put you at risk,
or if you already have heart disease, your
health care professional may ask you to
check it more often.
What should my cholesterol levels be? What is HDL cholesterol?
You should look beyond cholesterol levels alone. The best HDL cholesterol is called “good” cholesterol. A healthy
approach considers overall risk assessment and reduction. HDL-cholesterol level may protect against heart attack
It’s important to know your numbers and work with your and stroke.
health care professional to treat your risk. They will assess HDL takes cholesterol away from your arteries and
your risk factors to choose the best treatment options. back to the liver. There, it’s processed so that excess
• If you’re between 40 and 75, ask your health care can be removed from your body. HDL may also remove
professional to assess your 10-year risk. cholesterol from plaque in the arteries.
• If you’re between 20 and 39, the priority would be to get
an estimate of lifetime risk. If your risk is high, lifestyle and What is LDL cholesterol?
statin medication may help manage it. LDL cholesterol is known as “bad” cholesterol. The body’s
If your risk remains uncertain, or if treatment options are tissues use some of this cholesterol to build cells. But too
unclear, you may need a coronary artery calcium (CAC) much of it can cause fatty buildup inside your arteries.
test. This provides greater insight into your risk and helps in Together with other substances, it can form plaque (a
decision-making. thick, hard, fatty deposit). Plaque narrows the arteries
and reduces blood flow. This is called atherosclerosis. If
How will I know my numbers? the buildup of plaque ruptures, a blood clot may form at
this location or a piece may break off and travel in the
Your health care professional will do a blood test to measure bloodstream, causing a heart attack or stroke.
your cholesterol levels. This may be a “fasting” or “non-
fasting lipoprotein profile.” It assesses several types of fat in With LDL, lower is better to reduce the risk of heart attack,
the blood. It’s measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). stroke or peripheral artery disease.
The test gives you four results: total cholesterol, HDL (good)
cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides (blood What are triglycerides?
fats). Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your
(continued)
How Do My Cholesterol Levels Affect
My Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke?
body. They come from food, and your body also makes them. They
store excess energy from your diet.
A high triglyceride level combined with high LDL (bad) cholesterol
or low HDL (good) cholesterol is linked with fatty buildups within
the artery walls. This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Should I track my numbers?
Use the chart below to track your results each time you have a test.
Talk to your health care professional about these numbers and
your other risk factors and how they affect your overall risk.
1st Visit 2nd Visit 3rd Visit 4th Visit
Total Blood Cholesterol
LDL (bad) Cholesterol
HDL (good) Cholesterol
Triglycerides
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE? Do you have
questions for the MY QUEST ION S:
Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721)
or visit [Link] to learn more about doctor or nurse?
heart disease and stroke. Take a few minutes to
write down questions
Sign up for our monthly Heart Insight for the next time you
e-news for heart patients and their see your health care
families at [Link]. professional.
Connect with others sharing similar For example:
journeys with heart disease and stroke
How can I reduce my
by joining our Support Network at
cholesterol?
[Link]/SupportNetwork.
How often should I have
my cholesterol checked?
We have many other fact sheets to help you make healthier choices to reduce your risk of heart disease,
manage your condition or care for a loved one. Visit [Link]/AnswersByHeart to learn more.
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